What does sushi mean?
Sushi is a Japanese food made from cooked rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. It may be served plainly or with ingredients such as raw fish, shellfish, vegetables, egg, or tofu. The term also refers to individual pieces and to a broader range of Japanese rice dishes, including rolls and nigiri. In menus and informal conversation, sushi can suggest a whole meal, while more precise terms distinguish particular preparations. Because it is an adopted Japanese word, sushi also carries a strong association with Japanese culinary tradition and presentation. Its history is especially memorable: the word originally referred to a sour taste and to fish preserved with fermented rice before the familiar vinegared-rice dish developed. Today, sushi is internationally familiar, although the expected balance of rice, fish, and vinegar varies among Japanese cuisines and in local adaptations.
nounA Japanese dish made from rice seasoned with vinegar, usually served with ingredients such as raw fish, seafood, vegetables, egg, or tofu. The term can also refer to individual pieces of food and to various rice-based preparations, including nigiri and rolls.
- A Japanese food made from seasoned, vinegared rice, commonly served with seafood, vegetables, egg, tofu, or other ingredients.
- An individual piece or serving of such food, especially in restaurant and menu contexts.
- The broader category of Japanese rice-based dishes that includes preparations such as nigiri and various rolls.
"They ordered an assortment of sushi with salmon, tuna, cucumber, and avocado."
"The restaurant is famous for its fresh salmon sushi and vegetarian cucumber rolls."
"Sushi is often served with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi."
Sushi is normally an invariable mass noun. Individual pieces are usually counted with a phrase such as 'a piece of sushi' rather than by inflecting the noun.
"We ordered two pieces of sushi and a bowl of miso soup."
Sushi once meant a sour taste associated with fish preserved in fermented rice; the familiar vinegared-rice dish came later.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sushi come from?
The English word is borrowed from Japanese sushi (寿司), a term associated with the idea of a sour taste. Early sushi referred to fish preserved with fermented rice, and the familiar dish of vinegared rice developed later. English compounds such as sushi bar and sushi roll were formed directly from the borrowed word, reflecting its adoption into international culinary vocabulary.
How sushi is actually used
Sushi is usually treated as an uncountable noun when referring to the food category, although singular and plural forms such as 'a sushi' and 'two sushis' occur informally in restaurants and menus. More specific terms such as nigiri, maki, and sashimi may be preferred when a particular preparation is important.
Easily confused with sushi
Sushi is rice seasoned with vinegar, usually served with seafood or other toppings, whereas sashimi consists of slices of raw fish or seafood served without rice.