1.
oyster
An edible bivalve mollusk, widely eaten raw or cooked in Japanese cuisine. Japan is one of the world's largest oyster producers.
生ガキを食べる。
To eat raw oysters.
冬は牡蠣が旬だ。
Oysters are in season in winter.
広島は牡蠣の産地として有名だ。
Hiroshima is famous as an oyster-producing region.
WRITING:
Often written in katakana as カキ, especially on menus and in food contexts. The kanji 牡蠣 is used in formal writing.
CULTURAL NOTE:
Oysters are a major winter delicacy in Japan. 広島 and 宮城 are the top producing prefectures. Common preparations include 生ガキ (raw), 焼きガキ (grilled), and 牡蠣フライ (deep-fried).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 牡蠣フライ: deep-fried oyster
- 焼きガキ: grilled oyster
- 生ガキ: raw oyster
- 殻付きガキ: oyster in the shell
- 牡蠣にあたる: to get food poisoning from oysters