noun
thin, dried mochi pieces, baked or fried
A type of Japanese rice cracker made from mochi that is cut thin, dried, and then baked or fried. Often seasoned with soy sauce or salt. Related to 欠き餅 (kakimochi).
See also: 欠き餅
おかきはお茶請けにぴったりだ。
Okaki is perfect as a snack with tea.
祖母が手作りのおかきを送っ
My grandmother sent me homemade okaki.
欠き餅 (kakimochi) is a more general term for mochi that is cut and dried, while おかき is the polite form often used for the finished snack product.
あられ (arare) are smaller, bite-sized rice crackers, while おかき refers to larger, thin pieces made from mochi.
せんべい (senbei) are typically made from non-glutinous rice flour and are crispier, whereas おかき is made from glutinous mochi and has a different texture.
Polite prefix お (o-) + 欠き (kaki), the noun form of 欠く (kaku, 'to break off, chip'), referring to pieces of mochi that are broken or cut off. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with this meaning.