geoduck; Pacific geoduck
Refers specifically to the species Panopea generosa, a large saltwater clam native to the Pacific coast of North America. In Japanese, the katakana name is standard.
The geoduck is a large bivalve that lives on the Pacific coast of North America.
Geoduck is sometimes used as a sushi topping.
Kanji spelling is rarely used; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
The name is a combination of アメリカ (America) and 波貝 (なみがい, 'wave shell'), referring to a large clam from North America. The exact derivation of 波貝 is uncertain, but it likely describes a clam associated with waves or coastal waters.