noun
turmeric
Refers to the plant Curcuma longa (syn. Curcuma domestica) and its rhizome, used as a spice and natural dye. Commonly encountered as ウコン in health drinks and cooking.
ウコンはカレーの黄色い色のもとになるスパイスです。
Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.
飲みすぎた翌日はウコン入りのドリンクを飲む人も多い。
Many people drink a beverage containing turmeric the day after drinking too much.
Variant kanji spelling; even rarer than 鬱金.
ターメリック is the English loanword for turmeric, often used in Western recipe contexts, while ウコン is the native Japanese term more common in traditional and health food settings.
The word ウコン is derived from Chinese 鬱金 (yùjīn), originally referring to a different plant (Curcuma aromatica). The kanji 鬱 means 'dense' or 'gloomy', and 金 means 'gold', likely describing the plant's appearance or properties.