イワシ
いわし
noun
sardine
1.
sardine
A small, oily fish commonly found in Japanese coastal waters. An affordable and nutritious staple of Japanese cuisine, eaten fresh, dried, or processed.
イワシを焼く。
To grill sardines.
イワシの缶詰は安くて栄養がある。
Canned sardines are cheap and nutritious.
新鮮なイワシを手開きにして、天ぷらにするとすごく美味しい。
If you butterfly fresh sardines by hand and make tempura, it's incredibly delicious.
WRITING:
Commonly written in katakana as イワシ. The kanji 鰯 exists but katakana is standard.
CULTURE:
Sardines have been a staple food in Japan for centuries. They are also associated with Setsubun (節分), when grilled sardine heads (柊鰯) are placed at doorways to ward off evil spirits. The dried baby sardine product 煮干し is essential for making dashi stock.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- イワシの塩焼き: salt-grilled sardines
- イワシの刺身: sardine sashimi
- イワシの缶詰: canned sardines
- 煮干し: dried baby sardines (for dashi)