海胆
uni[ɯ̟ɲ̟i]
The Japanese word for sea urchin is uni. If unsure, use 海胆. Wiktionary also lists 雲丹 (uni).
Meaning: any of many marine echinoderms of the class Echinoidea (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 海胆 | uni | [ɯ̟ɲ̟i] (narrow) |
| 雲丹 | uni | [ɯ̟ɲ̟i] (narrow) |
The term refers to any marine echinoderm of the class Echinoidea.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hokkaido, ばふんうに is used to refer to a unique local variety of sea urchin.
How do you pronounce it?
uni
Did you know?
- While 海胆 is the formal name for the organism, the more common term in restaurants is 雲丹, which literally translates to 'cloud egg' because of the shape and texture of the golden gonads.
- While uni is the word for the animal, in a culinary context it refers exclusively to the edible gonads rather than the whole creature.
- The kanji 海胆 literally translates to 'sea liver' or 'sea gall', reflecting the organ's appearance.
Examples in context
- 海胆の値段は高いですね。uni no nedan wa takai desu ne.The price of sea urchin is expensive, isn't it?
- 新鮮な海胆が食べたいです。shinsen na uni ga tabetai desu.I want to eat fresh sea urchin.
Example conversation
A couple is looking at a sushi menu.
- 大翔 Hiroto大翔は海胆が好きですか？Hiroto wa uni ga suki desu ka?Do you like sea urchin, Hiroto?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、海胆が大好きです。hai, uni ga daisuki desu.Yes, I love sea urchin.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、これを注文しましょう。jaa, kore o chumon shimashou.Then, let's order this one.
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね。楽しみです。ii desu ne. tanoshimi desu.That sounds good. I'm looking forward to it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sea urchin” translations and entries 海胆, 雲丹, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
