dried squid; dried cuttlefish
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).
See also: するめ
I ordered dried squid at the izakaya.
Dried squid goes well with alcohol.
Katakana spelling is also used, especially in product packaging or menus.
Kanji spelling is uncommon; the word is usually written in kana.
Variant kanji spelling; even rarer than 当たりめ.
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.