Japanese word

肝

Pronunciation

Romajikimo

Meaning

  • nounliver

Example

魚の肝は苦手です。sakana no kimo wa niga te de su

I do not like fish liver.

Illustration for 肝 (liver)

More examples

この店では、魚の肝を丁寧に下処理しています。ko no mise de wa sakana no kimo o tei nei ni shita sho ri shi te i ma su

At this restaurant, they carefully prepare the fish liver.

Core concept

It marks something located deep inside and therefore treated as an essential part, whether in a body or in an idea.

Common phrases

  • 魚の肝sakana no kimo

    fish liver

  • 肝を下処理するkimo o shita sho ri su ru

    prepare liver

  • 肝を煮るkimo o ni ru

    simmer liver

Similar words

肝臓kanzō: The anatomical organ that processes substances in the body and can be eaten as food.
レバーrebā: Liver served or sold as food, especially from an animal.

Definition in Japanese

動物の腹部にある肝臓を指し、転じて内臓や物事の大切な部分をいう語。dō butsu no fuku bu ni a ru kan zō o sa shi ten ji te nai zō ya mono goto no tai setsu na bu bun o i u go

Word origin

The native Japanese word 肝 (kimo, "liver") is written with the Chinese-derived character 肝 (kan, "liver"); its extended sense of "gist" comes from the idea of an inner or vital part.

Usage tips

  • In food writing, 肝 (kimo) often identifies a fish's or animal's liver as an edible part, making it more specific than 内臓 (naizō, "innards").

Other meanings

  • innardsnoun
  • gistnoun

Word lists with this word