basket clam; freshwater clam
Refers to the living animal, especially Corbicula species, commonly used in miso soup.
See also: しじみ
Basket clams are popular as an ingredient in miso soup.
basket clam shell
Specifically the empty shell, often found on shores or used in crafts.
I picked up a basket clam shell on the beach.
Katakana spelling for the clam part; sometimes seen in menus or product labels.
Full kanji spelling using the non-jōyō character 蜆; less common in modern writing.
Compound of しじみ (basket clam) and 貝 (shellfish). The origin of しじみ is uncertain, but it may be related to the verb 縮む (ちぢむ, 'to shrink'), referring to the clam's habit of closing tightly.