noun
common orient clam; hard clam
Refers to the species Meretrix lusoria, a type of edible clam common in Japanese cuisine. Often used in clear soups and sushi.
はまぐりのお吸い物はひな祭りの定番です。
Clear soup with clams is a standard dish for the Doll Festival.
潮干狩りでたくさんのはまぐりを採
We gathered a lot of clams during clam digging.
Rare kanji variant; not commonly used.
Rare kanji variant; not commonly used.
あさり is the Japanese littleneck clam (Ruditapes philippinarum), smaller and more commonly used in miso soup and pasta. はまぐり is larger and often used in celebratory dishes.
しじみ is the freshwater clam (Corbicula japonica), much smaller and primarily used in miso soup. はまぐり is a saltwater clam with a different flavor and texture.
The word はまぐり is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 蛤 is a phono-semantic compound, but the Japanese reading is not derived from the kanji. The exact derivation of the Japanese word is uncertain.