Japanese word

脂

Pronunciation

Romajiabura

Meaning

  • nounfat

Example

この肉は脂が多いです。ko no niku wa abura ga ō i de su

This meat has a lot of fat.

Illustration for 脂 (fat)

More examples

煮込む前に、鶏肉の脂を取り除きます。ni ko mu mae ni kei niku no abura o to ri nozo ki ma su

Before stewing the chicken, I remove the fat.

Core concept

Refers to animal fat as a substance stored in tissue or released from meat during cooking.

Common phrases

  • 脂が乗るabura ga no ru

    be well-marbled

  • 脂が多いabura ga ō i

    have a lot of fat

  • 脂を落とすabura o o to su

    remove fat

Similar words

脂身aburami: The fatty portion of meat, including visible fat around or within lean meat.
脂肪shibō: Fat stored in an animal's body or present in its tissues.
油abura: A liquid fat used in cooking, often made from plants.

Definition in Japanese

肉や魚などに含まれる、動物の体内の脂肪や加熱して溶け出したもの。niku ya sakana na do ni fuku ma re ru dō butsu no tai nai no shi bō ya ka netsu shi te to ke da shi ta mo no

Word origin

脂 (abura) is a native Japanese word of uncertain origin, written with 脂 (shi, "fat"), a character chosen for its meaning.

Usage tips

  • Japanese food descriptions often use this word for visible or marbled animal fat, whereas English fat also commonly includes body fat and fat in foods.

Other meanings

  • greasenoun

Opposites

  • 赤身akamilean meatnoun

Related words

  • 脂っこいaburakkoigreasyi-adjective

Word lists with this word