1.
seven-herb rice porridge
A simple rice porridge made with seven spring herbs, traditionally eaten on January 7th to pray for good health throughout the year and to rest the stomach after New Year's feasting.
一月七日に七草粥を食べる。
We eat seven-herb porridge on January 7th.
七草粥は胃に優しい料理だ。
Seven-herb porridge is a dish that's gentle on the stomach.
正月の食べ過ぎた後に七草粥を食べて体を休める。
After overeating during New Year's, we eat seven-herb porridge to give our bodies a rest.
A traditional Japanese dish eaten on January 7th (人日の節句). The seven herbs (春の七草) are: せり (water dropwort), なずな (shepherd's purse), ごぎょう (cudweed), はこべら (chickweed), ほとけのざ (henbit), すずな (turnip), and すずしろ (daikon radish). Supermarkets sell pre-packaged 七草セット (seven-herb sets) in early January.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 七草粥を食べる: to eat seven-herb porridge
- 七草粥を作る: to make seven-herb porridge
- 春の七草: the seven spring herbs
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
The custom has roots in ancient Chinese tradition and was adopted in Japan during the Heian period. The porridge is intentionally bland — it serves as a reset for the digestive system after rich New Year foods (御節料理). It is also associated with prayers for good health (無病息災).