menma; seasoned bamboo shoots
A common topping for ramen, made from fermented or preserved bamboo shoots. The English gloss describes the traditional preparation process in detail.
from Chinese miànmá
See also: 支那竹
I topped my ramen with menma.
このメンマはコリコリしていておいしい。
These menma are crunchy and delicious.
An older term for the same food, now often considered politically incorrect; メンマ is the modern standard.
Katakana spelling is standard for this Chinese-derived food term; usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling is also seen, but katakana is more common.
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
Ateji kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
Borrowed from Chinese 麺碼 (miànmá), a term for seasoned bamboo shoots used in noodle dishes. The Japanese form is written in katakana as a loanword.