Translation guide
A Japanese rice cake made from pounded glutinous rice, eaten in various forms and dishes.
Referring to the rice cake as a food item.
The standard word for mochi. Can refer to plain pounded rice cakes or mochi used in dishes.
We eat mochi during New Year's.
この餅はやわらかいですね。
This mochi is soft, isn't it?
Polite form of 餅, often used in everyday speech to sound more refined.
お餅を焼いて食べましょう。
Let's grill some mochi and eat it.
Describing specific kinds of mochi or how it's prepared.
Rectangular blocks of dried mochi, often grilled or boiled.
切り餅をストーブで焼きました。
I grilled the kirimochi on the stove.
Round mochi, traditionally used in New Year's decorations and soup.
お雑煮には丸餅を入れます。
We put round mochi in ozoni.
Glutinous rice used to make mochi. Not the finished product, but the raw ingredient.
The traditional mochi-pounding event, often held at New Year's.
Referring to mochi as part of a dish or confection.
New Year's soup with mochi, vegetables, and sometimes chicken or fish cake.
お雑煮は地域によって味が違います。
Ozoni tastes different depending on the region.
Sweet red bean soup with mochi, often eaten as a dessert.
A round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, usually anko (red bean paste).
Mochi coated with sweetened soybean flour.
きなこ餅は素朴な甘さが美味しいです。
Kinako mochi has a simple, delicious sweetness.
Using 'mochi' in idiomatic expressions or comparisons.
Proverb meaning 'every man to his trade' or 'let a specialist handle it.' Literally 'mochi is [best made by] a mochi shop.'
餅は餅屋だから、専門家に任せたほうがいいよ。
Let the experts handle it; after all, mochi is best made by a mochi maker.
Describes skin that is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky like mochi; often used in beauty contexts.
このファンデーションを使うと餅肌になれる。
Using this foundation gives you mochi-like skin.
In English, 'rice cake' often refers to puffed rice cakes (like diet snacks). Mochi is specifically made from pounded glutinous rice and has a chewy, stretchy texture. Use 'mochi' in English to avoid confusion.
Mochi is very sticky and can be a choking hazard, especially for the elderly and children. In Japan, there are annual warnings about this during New Year's. When talking about mochi, you might hear safety advice.
We steam glutinous rice and pound it into mochi.
年末に町内会で餅つきをしました。
We had a mochi-pounding event with the neighborhood association at the end of the year.
寒い日にはぜんざいが食べたくなります。
On cold days, I crave zenzai.
いちご大福が一番好きです。
I like strawberry daifuku the best.