(はんなま)

はんなま
noun, adjective-na, adjective-no
half-raw; half-cooked; medium-rare
1. half-raw; half-cooked; medium-rare
food that is partially cooked, leaving the inside raw or undercooked
ステーキは半生(はんなま)()いてください。
Please cook the steak medium-rare.
この(たまご)はまだ半生(はんなま)だ。
This egg is still half-raw.
半生(はんなま)鶏肉(とりにく)()べると食中毒(しょくちゅうどく)になる危険(きけん)があるので、しっかり()(とお)してください。
Eating undercooked chicken can cause food poisoning, so please make sure it is thoroughly cooked.

Describes food that is only partially cooked. Can be desirable (as with a medium-rare steak or a soft-boiled egg) or a health concern (as with undercooked chicken). Note the reading: 半生(はんなま) refers to cooking doneness, while the same kanji read as はんせい means "half a lifetime."

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 半生(はんなま)(たまご): soft-boiled/half-raw egg
  • 半生(はんなま)()く: to cook medium-rare
  • 半生(はんなま)状態(じょうたい): half-cooked state

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • (なま): raw — completely uncooked
  • レア: rare — loanword used specifically for steak doneness
  • 半熟(はんじゅく): soft-boiled — specifically for eggs, where the yolk is still runny
  • 生焼(なまや)け: undercooked — implies the food should have been cooked more