Translation guide
In Japanese, the English word 'yam' can refer to several distinct root vegetables. The most common equivalents are 山芋 (yamaimo) and 長芋 (nagaimo), which are often eaten raw and grated. Sweet potatoes (さつまいも) are sometimes called 'yams' in English, but in Japanese they are a different vegetable. This guide helps you choose the right word based on what you actually mean.
Referring to the Japanese mountain yam or Chinese yam, often eaten raw, grated into a sticky paste (tororo), or used in okonomiyaki.
General term for Japanese mountain yam. Often used for the wild or more strongly flavored variety. Can be grated into tororo.
I grated yam and made tororo rice.
A common variety of yam with a milder taste and more water content. Often eaten raw in salads or as sashimi. Very popular in home cooking.
Wild Japanese yam, highly prized for its intense flavor and stickiness. Much more expensive and often used in high-end cuisine.
Referring to the sweet, orange-fleshed root vegetable commonly eaten baked, roasted, or in pies. In Japanese, this is a different vegetable from yamaimo.
Referring to starchy tropical tubers like taro, purple yam (ube), or other varieties not native to Japan.
Taro. A small, round, hairy tuber with a slightly slimy texture when cooked. Used in nimono (simmered dishes) and miso soup. Not a true yam but sometimes translated as such.
I love simmered taro.
Generic loanword for tropical yams (Dioscorea species) not commonly found in Japan. Used in contexts like African or Caribbean cuisine.
In English, 'yam' can mean either the sticky Japanese mountain yam or the sweet orange sweet potato. In Japanese, these are completely different: 山芋/長芋 vs. さつまいも. If you ask for a 'yam' in Japan, you might get either, so specify which one you want.
When yamaimo or nagaimo is grated into a sticky paste, it's called とろろ. It's often served over rice (とろろご飯) or with soba (とろろそば).
長芋を短冊切りにして、わさび醤油で食べます。
I cut the yam into strips and eat it with wasabi soy sauce.
自然薯のとろろは粘りが強くて濃厚です。
Wild yam tororo is very sticky and rich.
Loanword from English, often used for sweet potato desserts or Western-style dishes. Not used for the raw vegetable itself.
I made sweet potato cakes.
Yams are often used in African cuisine.