ガリ

がり

noun

pickled ginger (served with sushi)

informalfood

1. gari; pickled ginger (the kind served with sushi)

Thin slices of young ginger pickled in sweetened vinegar, pale pink to white in color. Served alongside sushi as a palate cleanser between pieces. Originally sushi-restaurant jargon (gyoukai-yougo) that has entered general use.

ガリをひと切(き)れ口(くち)に入(い)れた。

I put a piece of pickled ginger in my mouth.

寿司(すし)にはガリと緑茶(りょくちゃ)が付(つ)いてくる。

The sushi comes with pickled ginger and green tea.

次(つぎ)のネタを食(た)べる前(まえ)に、ガリで口直(くちなお)しをするのが通(つう)な食(た)べ方(かた)だ。

Cleansing the palate with pickled ginger before the next piece is the connoisseur's way to eat sushi.

Originally sushi-restaurant slang (業界用語(ぎょうかいようご)). The name is said to come from the gari-gari sound made when chewing or slicing the firm ginger. The standard term is 甘酢(あまず)生姜(しょうが) ("sweet-vinegar ginger"), but ガリ is far more common in everyday use.

Functions

Gari is a palate cleanser eaten between pieces of sushi to refresh the mouth, not a topping to be placed on the sushi itself.

Common collocations

ガリをつまむ: to nibble on pickled ginger
ガリを食(た)べる: to eat pickled ginger
ガリで口直(くちなお)しする: to cleanse the palate with gari
お代(か)わりのガリ: a refill of pickled ginger

Similar words

紅(べに)しょうが: red pickled ginger — bright red, finely cut; topping for 牛丼(ぎゅうどん), 焼(や)きそば, etc.; different style and use
新生姜(しんしょうが): young ginger — the raw ingredient ガリ is made from

Related Words

Compare: 紅生姜(べにしょうが) (pickled red ginger)

general

Added 2026.5.11 16:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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