noun
rice gruel with mochi
A simple rice porridge containing pieces of mochi (rice cake). A warming dish often made at home.
寒い朝は餅粥で体を温める。
On cold mornings, I warm up with mochi rice gruel.
noun
azuki bean gruel with mochi (eaten on the 15th of the first month)
A traditional seasonal dish for the first full moon of the lunar year (小正月). Made with azuki beans and mochi, often called 望粥 (mochigayu) in this context.
小正月には望粥を食べて無病息災を願う。
On the 15th day of the first month, we eat azuki bean mochi gruel and pray for good health.
Compound of 餅 (mochi, 'rice cake') and 粥 (kayu, 'gruel'). The ateji spelling 望粥 for the seasonal dish uses 望 (full moon) to reflect the lunar calendar tradition.