あたりめ

あ

た

り

め

Meanings

dried squid; dried cuttlefish

usually written using kana alone

A common snack food made from dried squid or cuttlefish. Often eaten as a drinking snack (otsumami). The word is a euphemistic alteration of するめ, avoiding the unlucky associations of する (to lose money).

Kanji

当hit, right, appropriate

Related words

するめ
するめ is the original word for dried squid, but it is often avoided in commercial contexts because する can mean 'to lose money'. あたりめ is a euphemistic replacement using あたり (hit, win).

Written forms

あたりめUsage91%
Kana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
アタリメUsage9%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is also used, especially in product packaging or menus.
当あたりめ
Kanji spelling is uncommon; the word is usually written in kana.
当あたりめ
Variant kanji spelling; even rarer than 当たりめ.

Etymology

Euphemistic alteration of するめ (dried squid), replacing する (which can mean 'to lose money') with あたり ('to hit' or 'to win'). The exact time of coinage is uncertain, but it is a well-known example of wordplay in Japanese food culture.