自じ然ねん薯じょ

noun

Japanese yam (Dioscorea japonica)

A wild yam native to Japan, often used in traditional cuisine. The reading じねんじょ is standard; じねんじょう is a variant associated with the 自然生 spelling.

• 自じ然ねん薯じょは山やまで採とれる野や生せいのヤマイモです。

  The Japanese yam is a wild yam that can be harvested in the mountains.

• とろろ汁じるには自じ然ねん薯じょがよく使つかわれる。

  Japanese yam is often used in grated yam soup.