ちまき
ちまき
noun
chimaki, rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaf
1.
chimaki, rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaf
A traditional Japanese confection of glutinous rice or rice flour wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves and steamed. Eaten especially during the Boys' Day festival on May 5th.
ちまきを作った。
I made chimaki.
端午の節句にちまきを食べる。
We eat chimaki on Boys' Day.
笹の葉で包んだちまきは、甘くてもちもちしている。
Chimaki wrapped in bamboo leaves are sweet and chewy.
KANJI:
Can be written as 粽, but the hiragana form is standard.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Traditionally eaten on 端午の節句 (Boys' Day, May 5th) along with 柏餅. The custom originates from China, where rice dumplings were thrown into the river to honor the poet Qu Yuan. In the Kansai region, ちまき tends to be a sweet confection, while in other regions the contents may vary.
REGIONAL VARIATION:
- Kansai: sweet glutinous rice wrapped in 笹 (bamboo grass)
- Chinese-style: savory fillings with meat and mushrooms
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ちまきを作る: to make chimaki
- ちまきを食べる: to eat chimaki
- 笹巻きちまき: bamboo-leaf-wrapped chimaki