A Small Sushi Vocabulary Makes Ordering Easier
Japanese restaurant menus can contain unfamiliar terms even when you already enjoy eating sushi. Learning a dozen common words makes it easier to understand the food and ask for what you want.
Quick take: Start with words for the rice and toppings, then learn the names of popular serving styles. Restaurant slang can be fun to recognize, but it is usually more polite for guests to use ordinary Japanese when speaking to staff.
The Core Sushi Words
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1. Shari | Vinegar-seasoned sushi rice |
| 2. Neta | The fish or other topping on nigiri |
| 3. Gari | Pickled ginger served with sushi |
| 4. Murasaki | Traditional sushi-shop slang for soy sauce |
| 5. Nigiri | Hand-formed sushi rice with a topping |
| 6. Maki | Rolled sushi, typically wrapped in nori |
| 7. Sashimi | Sliced seafood served without sushi rice |
Shari and neta are especially helpful. When a chef discusses the balance of rice and topping, these are the components being described. Gari helps refresh your palate between different types of sushi.
Ordering and Personal Preference
8. Omakase: Literally expresses leaving the choice to the chef. At a sushi restaurant it usually means a chef-selected course built around available ingredients.
9. Sabi-nuki: A useful way to request sushi without wasabi. If wasabi is too strong for you, mention this before the chef prepares your piece.
Do not feel obligated to use restaurant slang. A simple, courteous question in English or Japanese is better than using specialized vocabulary incorrectly.
Paying the Bill and Finishing Your Meal
10. Okaikei: A polite, useful word when asking for the check or the bill.
11. Oaiso: Restaurant-industry slang associated with the bill. Guests are generally better off using okaikei rather than trying to sound like restaurant staff.
12. Agari: Sushi-shop slang for tea, especially green tea served toward the end of the meal. You can simply ask for green tea instead.
Knowing these terms is helpful, but there is no need to perform as an expert. The point is to communicate your preferences clearly and enjoy the meal.
Use the Words Naturally
Different restaurants have different atmospheres. A relaxed neighborhood sushi shop and a formal omakase counter may use the same food vocabulary but have different service styles. Listen, observe and ask when you are unsure.
If you remember only three terms, start with nigiri for hand-formed sushi, omakase for chef’s choice and sabi-nuki when you need wasabi omitted. The rest will become familiar through experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does murasaki mean at a sushi bar?
It is traditional sushi-shop slang for soy sauce. Most diners can simply say soy sauce or shoyu.
What is omakase?
It is a chef-selected dining experience, usually organized as a sequence of seasonal dishes or sushi pieces.
How do I request sushi without wasabi?
Say sabi-nuki, or politely ask the restaurant to leave the wasabi out.
Continue learning: How to Make Nigiri · Sushi Etiquette Tips.