cutting into thin shavings; shavings
Refers to a specific Japanese cutting technique where vegetables (often burdock root) are shaved into long, thin strips, as if sharpening a pencil. Also used for the resulting shavings themselves.
I cut the burdock root into thin shavings and make kinpira.
Vegetables cut into thin shavings cook quickly.
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms are less common.
Kanji spelling with okurigana; seen in some contexts.
Full kanji spelling; rare in modern usage.
The term likely derives from the resemblance of the shavings to bamboo grass leaves (笹, ささ), with がき from 掻き (かき), meaning 'scraping' or 'shaving'.