1.
appetizer, snack to go with drinks, side dish for drinking
Food eaten as an accompaniment to alcoholic drinks. Can range from simple snacks to elaborate dishes served alongside sake or other alcohol.
酒の肴に枝豆を注文した。
I ordered edamame as a snack to go with my drink.
この店は肴の種類が豊富だ。
This place has a wide variety of appetizers.
手作りの肴を並べて、ゆっくり晩酌を楽しんだ。
I lined up homemade appetizers and enjoyed a leisurely evening drink.
2.
topic of conversation (for amusement), material for gossip
Something used as material for conversation or entertainment, especially when drinking. Often used in the expression 話の肴 (something to talk about over drinks).
失敗談を酒の肴にする。
Use tales of failure as conversation material over drinks.
人の噂を肴にするのはよくない。
It's not good to make gossip about others your entertainment.
旅行の思い出を肴に、旧友と遅くまで飲み明かした。
Using travel memories as conversation material, we drank with old friends until late into the night.
ETYMOLOGY NOTE:
Historically, 肴 was the original meaning of the word さかな — food to accompany sake. The meaning of "fish" (魚) developed later because fish was the most common accompaniment to sake.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 酒の肴 (appetizer for drinks; conversation material)
- 肴にする (use as drinking snack; use as conversation material)
- 話の肴 (topic for conversation)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- つまみ: snack to go with drinks (more casual, everyday word)
- おつまみ: snack to go with drinks (polite form of つまみ)
- 酒肴: food to accompany alcohol (literary/formal)