dried squid; dried cuttlefish
Common snack food made from dried squid or cuttlefish, often shredded or whole.
おつまみにするめを買った。
I bought some dried squid as a snack with drinks.
Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus)
The species of squid commonly used to make dried squid; also called 鯣烏賊 (するめいか).
See also: スルメイカ
するめは日本近海でよく獲れるイカの一種だ。
Surume is a type of squid commonly caught in the seas around Japan.
something that grows on you over time
Slang prefix-like use, often in phrases like するめ映画 (a movie that gets better with repeated viewings).
あのドラマはするめドラマで、見れば見るほど面白くなる。
That drama is a 'surume' drama—the more you watch it, the more interesting it gets.
Japanese common squid; Pacific flying squid
Usually written in kana; the kanji 鯣 is rare and 寿留女 is ateji.
Katakana spelling is common in product names and casual writing.
Rare kanji spelling; not commonly used.
Ateji spelling; very rare and mainly historical.
The origin is uncertain; possibly related to 墨 (sumi, 'ink') from squid ink, but this is speculative.