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おつまみ Japanese meaning | Kotomora

おつまみ

お

つ

ま

み

Meanings

1

noun

snack to have with a drink; side dish

polite (teineigo)usually written using kana alone

Polite form of つまみ, commonly used for small dishes served with alcohol, such as at izakaya. Also used more broadly for any light snack or side dish.

See also: 摘み

ビールのおつまみに枝えだ豆まめを頼たのんだ。
I ordered edamame as a snack with my beer.
このお店みせのおつまみはどれも美味おいしい。
All the side dishes at this restaurant are delicious.

Written forms

Applies to each form listed below

rarely-used kanji form

お摘つまみ
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
お摘つまみ
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
お抓つまみ
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.
お撮つまみ
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.

Kanji

摘

pinch, pick, pluck

抓pick, pinch, summarize

撮snapshot, take pictures

Similar words

つまみ
Plain form of おつまみ; less polite and more casual. おつまみ is the polite version often used in customer-facing contexts.
おかず
Refers to a side dish eaten with rice, not specifically with alcohol. おつまみ is typically for drinking occasions.

Etymology

Polite prefix お- added to つまみ, the noun form of 摘む (つまむ, 'to pick up with fingers'), referring to finger food.