Translation guide
A kitchen tool for shredding food into small pieces or strips. In Japanese, the most common type is the oroshigane (おろし金), used for grating daikon, ginger, and other ingredients. There are also specific graters for cheese, vegetables, and other foods.
The standard Japanese grater, typically a flat or slightly curved metal plate with sharp teeth, used for grating root vegetables, ginger, garlic, and other firm foods into a fine pulp or shreds.
The most common word for a grater in Japanese. It specifically refers to the traditional flat grater used for daikon, ginger, and similar ingredients. Often used in the phrase 大根おろし (daikon oroshi) for grated daikon.
大根をおろし金でおろしてください。
Please grate the daikon with the grater.
おろし金で生姜をすりおろす。
Grate ginger with a grater.
A slightly more general term for a grater, literally 'grating tool'. Can refer to various types of graters, including box graters and electric graters, but still commonly used for the traditional flat grater.
このおろし器は使いやすいです。
This grater is easy to use.
A grater specifically for cheese, often a box grater or a rotary grater.
The most direct term for a cheese grater. It can refer to any type of grater used for cheese.
チーズおろしでパルメザンチーズをすりおろす。
Grate Parmesan cheese with a cheese grater.
A loanword from English 'cheese grater'. Commonly understood, especially for Western-style graters.
新しいチーズグレーターを買った。
I bought a new cheese grater.
A tool for slicing or shredding vegetables into thin strips or slices, often used for salads, coleslaw, or garnishes. This may be a mandoline slicer or a specialized shredder.
A general term for a slicer, often referring to a mandoline or a vegetable slicer that can also shred. It is commonly used for making thin slices or strips of vegetables.
スライサーでキャベツを千切りにする。
Shred cabbage with a slicer.
Literally 'julienne tool', specifically for cutting vegetables into thin strips (千切り). Often a specialized shredder or a blade attachment.
千切り器でにんじんを細く切る。
Cut carrots into thin strips with a julienne peeler.
A traditional grater made of sharkskin or fine ceramic used specifically for grating wasabi root or other delicate ingredients.
A traditional sharkskin grater, prized for grating wasabi root into a fine paste without damaging the flavor. It is a specialized tool used in high-end Japanese cuisine.
本わさびは鮫皮おろしでおろすと風味が良い。
Grating real wasabi with a sharkskin grater brings out the best flavor.
The verb おろす (or すりおろす) is used for grating. おろす alone can mean 'to grate', while すりおろす emphasizes the grinding action. For cheese, すりおろす is common. For daikon, 大根をおろす is standard.
おろし金 is a flat grater with fine teeth, producing a pulp or fine shreds. スライサー is a slicer or mandoline that creates thin slices or strips. Do not use おろし金 for slicing; use スライサー or a knife.