1.
Chinese chives, garlic chives
A flat-leafed herb with a mild garlic flavor, widely used in East Asian cooking. The leaves are typically cut and used in stir-fries, dumplings, and soups.
Writing
Usually written in katakana as ニラ. The kanji 韮 exists but is rarely used.
Common collocations
- ニラレバ炒め (stir-fried chives and liver — a classic dish)
- ニラ玉 (chives and egg stir-fry)
- ニラを刻む (to chop chives)
Cultural note
ニラ is a staple in Japanese-Chinese cooking (中華料理). It has a distinctive smell, so some people avoid eating it before meetings. Despite this, it is valued for its nutritional benefits, particularly its vitamin and allicin content.