おむすび

お

む

す

び

JLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

rice ball; onigiri

usually written using kana alonepolite (teineigo)food / cooking

Polite term for a rice ball, often triangular or round, with a filling or mixed ingredients, wrapped in nori. Synonymous with おにぎり but carries a slightly more polite or traditional feel.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉入いりのおむすびa rice ball filled with X
梅うめ干ぼし入いりのおむすびが好すきです。
I like rice balls filled with pickled plum.
おむすびを結むすぶto shape/make a rice ball
母ははは毎まい朝あさおむすびを結むすんでくれる。
My mother shapes rice balls for me every morning.

Kanji

結tie, bind, contract

Related words

おにぎりN4
おにぎり is the common, casual word for a rice ball, while おむすび carries a slightly more polite or old-fashioned nuance for the same food.
結むすびN1
おむすび is the softer, more everyday word for a rice ball, while 結び in this sense feels slightly more formal or old-fashioned.
握にぎり飯めし
おむすび is a softer, often more feminine or regional term for a rice ball, whereas 握り飯 has a plainer, more masculine feel.

Counted with

個こN5
Generally counted with 個 (ko), the general counter for small objects.

Written forms

おむすびUsage95%
Kana spelling is standard; the word is usually written using kana alone.
お結むすびUsage5%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 結ぶ (musubu, 'to tie, to bind'), referring to the action of shaping rice by pressing it together. The polite prefix お (o-) is added.