Otsumami is the Japanese word for ‘finger food’, explained

What does “otsumami” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “otsumami” often to mean ‘finger food’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is sometimes used in Japanese conversations. In this blog post, however, I will explain it in detail based on its grammatical components. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand “otsumami” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “otsumami”
• What does “otsumami” literally mean in Japanese?
  • Example #1: how to say “finger food” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “otsumami”
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “otsumami”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “otsumami”.

• otsumami – おつまみ : a noun meaning ‘finger food’, ‘nibbles’, or ‘appetizer’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.

Japanese native speakers use this noun to refer to small things to eat while drinking.

The definition and meanings are not that difficult, I think. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its grammatical components in detail, one by one.

What does “otsumami” literally mean in Japanese?

“Otsumami” consists of the following two components:

• o – お : a prefix making its following word polite.
• tsumami – つまみ : can be considered as the noun form of the verb, “tsumamu”, which means ‘to pick’, ‘to pinch’, or such in Japanese.

From these two components, we can understand that the formed noun is literally the polite expression for picking or pinching. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meanings, but still understandable, I think. Nibbles are often small things which we need to pick or pinch to eat.

When we meet new Japanese words, we should check their grammatical components in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, components tell us a lot about the meanings of the words they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “otsumami” through the detailed check above.

So far, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “otsumami” together with its grammatical components. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “finger food” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kon’ya – 今夜 (こんや) : a noun meaning ‘tonight’ in Japanese. This can also work as an adverb almost anywhere in a sentence. In the example, this works as an adverb at the beginning of the sentence.
• watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “watashi” to make the subject in the sentence.
• wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “otsumami” to make the object in the sentence.
• tsukut – 作っ (つくっ) : one conjugation of the verb, “tsukuru“, which means ‘to make’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. In the example, this is used after “tsukut” to make its past tense form, “tsukut ta”.

This is a typical usage of “otsumami”. In this example, it works together with the case particle, “wo”, to become the object in the sentence.

Example #2: another usage of “otsumami”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kono – この : a determiner used before a noun which refers to something close to the speaker. In the example, this is used before “otsumami” to say “this finger food” in Japanese.
• oishii – 美味しい (おいしい) : an i-adjective meaning ‘delicious’ in Japanese.
• yo – よ : a sentence-ending particle used to state the fact or idea softly. As the definition suggests, this is used at the end of the example sentence to state the fact in a soft way.

This is another typical usage of “otsumami”. In this example, it works together with the binding particle, “wa”, to become the subject in the sentence. When we want to mean ‘finger food’ in Japanese, anyway, this noun is always a very good option.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “otsumami” in detail based on its grammatical components. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• otsumami – おつまみ : a noun meaning ‘finger food’, ‘nibbles’, or ‘appetizer’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Japanese native speakers use this noun to refer to small things to eat while drinking. This noun is literally the polite expression for picking or pinching. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meanings, but still understandable, I think. Nibbles are often small things which we need to pick or pinch to eat.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.