1.
rice cake; mochi (polite form)
The polite form of 餅 (mochi), a traditional Japanese food made from glutinous rice that has been pounded into a sticky, chewy mass. A staple of New Year celebrations and used in many traditional sweets and dishes.
Every New Year, there are news reports about accidents where people choke on mochi.
The polite お prefix is standard with 餅 in everyday speech, making お餅 the default conversational form. The お is not merely decorative; dropping it can sound curt in casual conversation.
Common collocations
- お餅をつく: to pound mochi
- お餅を焼く: to grill/toast mochi
- お餅を煮る: to boil mochi (in soup)
- 切り餅: pre-cut mochi blocks (sold in packages)
- 丸餅: round mochi (Kansai style)
Cultural note
Mochi is deeply associated with 正月 (New Year). It appears in 雑煮 (New Year's soup), 鏡餅 (decorative stacked mochi), and 磯辺焼き (grilled mochi wrapped in nori). The shape varies by region: round in western Japan, rectangular in eastern Japan. Every January, Japanese media report on choking incidents (窒息事故) among elderly people, making mochi safety a recurring seasonal topic.