Translation guide
Refers to the spice or plant Zanthoxylum piperitum, known for its citrusy, numbing flavor. In Japanese, it is called 山椒 (sanshō). The term can also refer to the related Sichuan pepper or prickly ash.
The most common meaning: the Japanese pepper plant or its ground spice, used in Japanese cuisine.
The standard Japanese word for the plant and spice. Often used in cooking, especially with eel (unagi) or grilled foods.
うなぎに山椒をかけると美味しい。
Sprinkling sanshō on eel makes it delicious.
山椒の実を乾燥させて粉にします。
The berries of the Japanese pepper are dried and ground into powder.
Specifically refers to ground Japanese pepper powder, the most common form used as a condiment.
焼き鳥に粉山椒をふりかけてください。
Please sprinkle ground sanshō on the yakitori.
Refers to the fresh or preserved green berries of the Japanese pepper, often used in simmered dishes or as a condiment.
実山椒の佃煮はご飯に合います。
Simmered fresh sanshō berries go well with rice.
Literally 'tree buds', refers to the young leaves of the Japanese pepper plant, used as a garnish or in soups.
木の芽を吸い物に浮かべると香りが良い。
Floating kinome in clear soup gives a nice aroma.
Sometimes 'Japanese pepper' is used loosely for similar Zanthoxylum species, like Sichuan pepper. In Japanese, these are distinguished.
Specifically Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum simulans or bungeanum), used in Chinese cuisine. Not the same as Japanese sanshō, but related.
四川山椒は痺れるような辛さが特徴です。
Sichuan pepper is characterized by its numbing spiciness.
Another name for Chinese prickly ash, sometimes used interchangeably with Sichuan pepper.
華北山椒は中国料理で使われる。
Chinese prickly ash is used in Chinese cuisine.
Do not confuse 山椒 (sanshō) with 胡椒 (koshō), which is black/white pepper. They are completely different spices.
Japanese sanshō has a mild numbing effect, but it is less intense than Sichuan pepper. Describe it as ピリッとする (piritto suru) or しびれる (shibireru) if strong.