noun
Japanese royal fern; Asian royal fern; flowering fern
Refers to the fern Osmunda japonica, a wild edible plant. The young fiddleheads are harvested in spring and are a seasonal delicacy in Japan.
春になると、山でぜんまいを採る人が多い。
In spring, many people gather zenmai in the mountains.
ぜんまいの煮物は素朴な味がする。
Simmered zenmai has a simple, rustic flavor.
Rarely used kanji form.
The origin of the word ぜんまい is uncertain. It may be derived from the plant's coiled fiddlehead shape, but the exact derivation is unclear.