What does "sushi" mean?
A Japanese dish made of small portions of sticky white rice flavored with vinegar, usually wrapped in seaweed and filled or topped with fish, vegetables or meat.
Sushi
/ˈsuʃi/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A Japanese dish made of small portions of sticky white rice flavored with vinegar, usually wrapped in seaweed and filled or topped with fish, vegetables or meat.
- Grammar: sushi is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: japanese cuisine, japanese rice dish, rice and fish dish, single sushi.
- Useful contrasts: non Japanese cuisine, non sushi dish, non sushi item.
- Usage evidence: Sushi is good, but Thai dishes are better.
How to use "sushi"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sushi" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sushi" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sushi" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sushi" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sushi" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "japanese cuisine" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sushi", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A Japanese dish made of small portions of sticky white rice flavored with vinegar, usually wrapped in seaweed and filled or topped with fish, vegetables or meat. uncountable, usually
"For the vegetarians, she served cucumber sushi."
- 2 A person who typifies a mixture of Shiism and Sunnism informal
"Then there are the "Sushi" neighborhoods and towns - a mixture of some Sunni, some Shia, hence Sushi"
- 3 rice (with raw fish) wrapped in seaweed wordnet
- 4 One of the portions from this dish. countable, rare, usually
"You will recall that, contrary to the relative appearance of the words, the sashimi are the simple raw fish slices and the sushi are the rolls of rice and raw fish."
- 5 Raw fish, especially as a Japanese dish. proscribed, uncountable, usually
"'Can't eat sushi?' I said. Then Mom said, 'You can't eat uncooked fish when you're pregnant' as if I'm the one stupid enough to go and get pregnant!"
Verb
- 1 To prepare (a food) as sushi. informal, transitive
"Our finned friends come in all varieties: sushi-ed, fresh, smoked and otherwise packaged for your consumption."
Synonyms
All synonyms japanese cuisinejapanese rice dishrice and fish dishsingle sushisushi bitesushi culture
Antonyms
non Japanese cuisinenon sushi dishnon sushi item
Example
"Sushi is good, but Thai dishes are better."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sushi"?
Common synonyms include: japanese cuisine, japanese rice dish, rice and fish dish, single sushi, sushi bite, sushi culture.
How do you use "sushi" in a sentence?
Sushi is good, but Thai dishes are better.
How do you pronounce "sushi"?
Pronounced /ˈsuʃi/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 寿司(すし) (sushi, “sushi (sour rice)”), ultimately from archaic conjugation 酸(す)し (sushi, “sour, vinegared”) of modern adjective 酸(す)い (sui, “sour, vinegared”).