椎茸
shiitake
The Japanese phrase for shiitake mushroom is 椎茸.
椎茸 refers to an edible East Asian mushroom characterized by a brown cap and a savory flavor.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji for 'oak' (椎) and 'mushroom' (茸), literally meaning 'oak mushroom'.
How do you pronounce it?
shiitake
Did you know?
- High-quality wild shiitake are often dried to intensify their 'umami' flavor, a Japanese term for a savory taste that has since been adopted into the English language.
- In Japan, shiitake is often categorized as a 'medicinal food', and traditional beliefs suggest that eating them can boost the immune system and treat various ailments.
- The word shiitake shares the same kanji 茸 with the word for 'fungus' or 'mushroom', but in Japanese poetry, the term take can evoke images of autumn and the changing seasons.
Examples in context
- 椎茸をたくさん買いました。shiitake o takusan kaimashita.I bought a lot of shiitake mushrooms.
- このスープには椎茸が入っています。kono suupu ni wa shiitake ga haitte imasu.This soup contains shiitake mushrooms.
- 椎茸はとても美味しいです。shiitake wa totemo oishii desu.Shiitake mushrooms are very delicious.
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are shopping for ingredients at a supermarket.
- 健太 Kenta今日の夕食に椎茸はどうですか？kyou no yuushoku ni shiitake wa dou desu ka?How about shiitake mushrooms for tonight's dinner?
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね。椎茸の天ぷらが食べたいです。ii desu ne. shiitake no tempura ga tabetai desu.That sounds good. I want to eat shiitake mushroom tempura.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、新鮮な椎茸を選びましょう。jaa, shinsena shiitake o erabimashou.Then, let's choose some fresh shiitake mushrooms.
- 美咲 Misakiはい、あっちの棚にありますよ。hai, acchi no tana ni arimasu yo.Okay, they are over on that shelf.
