1.
Pacific saury, mackerel pike
A slender, silvery saltwater fish that is one of the most iconic foods of autumn in Japan. Typically grilled whole with salt and eaten with grated daikon radish and soy sauce.
秋になると秋刀魚が食べたくなる。
When autumn comes, I start craving saury.
塩焼きの秋刀魚に大根おろしを添える。
To serve salt-grilled saury with grated daikon.
近年は秋刀魚の漁獲量が減っていて、値段が高くなっている。
In recent years, the saury catch has been declining, and the price has been rising.
USAGE:
Also commonly written in katakana as サンマ or hiragana as さんま. The kanji 秋刀魚 is an ateji (phonetic kanji spelling), with the characters meaning "autumn sword fish" — a poetic description of its slender shape and its season.
One of the most representative foods of Japanese autumn. 秋刀魚の塩焼き (salt-grilled saury) is a staple home-cooked dish.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 秋刀魚の塩焼き: salt-grilled saury
- 秋刀魚を焼く: to grill saury
- 秋刀魚の刺身: saury sashimi
- 秋刀魚漁: saury fishing