Japanese Conversation · Level 8
90 words
Japanese word
おにぎり
Pronunciation
Romajionigiri
Meaning
- nounrice ball
Example
母がお昼におにぎりを作ります。haha ga o hiru ni o ni gi ri o tsuku ri ma su
My mother makes rice balls for lunch.
More examples
朝ご飯におにぎりを食べます。asa go han ni o ni gi ri o ta be ma su
I eat a rice ball for breakfast.
コンビニでおにぎりを買います。ko n bi ni de o ni gi ri o ka i ma su
I buy a rice ball at a convenience store.
Core concept
Refers to rice shaped by hand into a portable serving, often with a filling or a sheet of seaweed.
Common phrases
おにぎりを買うo ni gi ri o ka u
buy a rice ball
おにぎりを握るo ni gi ri o nigi ru
shape a rice ball
おにぎりを作るo ni gi ri o tsuku ru
make rice balls
おにぎりを食べるo ni gi ri o ta be ru
eat a rice ball
Similar words
おむすびomusubi: A hand-shaped serving of rice, especially one associated with home cooking or traditional meals.
Definition in Japanese
炊いた米に具を入れるなどして手で握った食べ物。ta i ta kome ni gu o i re ru na do shi te te de nigi tta ta be mono
Word origin
おにぎり (onigiri) is formed from お (o) and 握り (nigiri), the noun form of 握る (nigiru, "to grasp"), describing its hand-pressed preparation.
Usage tips
- Onigiri is often triangular, but its defining feature is hand-shaped rice rather than one fixed shape, so round and other forms are also common.