そぼろ
Meanings
soboro; seasoned minced meat/fish topping
A home-style dish of finely minced meat or fish, seasoned and dry-fried until crumbly, often served over rice. Common in bento and donburi.
Today's bento is soboro rice.
When making chicken soboro, season it with soy sauce and mirin.
Describes something worn out, frayed, or in disarray, such as clothes, hair, or fabric. Often used in the form そぼろな or そぼろになる.
He was wearing tattered clothes.
My hair got tangled in the wind.
Describes something broken into very small pieces or a fine, crumbly texture. Less common than sense 2; often overlaps with the texture of soboro food.
The bread crumbled into fine pieces.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉のそぼろseasoned minced topping made from (a meat or fish)
I made chicken soboro and put it in the bento.
- 〈物〉をそぼろにするto mince/crumble something into fine, crumbly pieces
I crumble the tofu into small pieces and fry it.
- 〈物〉がそぼろになるfor something to become tattered or frayed
The sleeves of the shirt I'd worn for years became frayed.