おつまみ – Otsumami are Snacks with Alcohol

おつまみ is a special category of food or snack in Japan. おつまみ is anything that someone eats together with alcohol.

What does おつまみ mean?

The noun おつまみ comes from the Japanese verb, 摘つまむ. This verb means to grab, pinch, or pick up with one’s fingers. It more specifically can mean to pick at, or snack on something.  

ポテトチップスをつまみながらテレビを見みる
to watch TV while snacking on potato chips

So, true to the original meaning of the word, おつまみ is a snack instead of a full meal.

https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/

What Type of おつまみ do People Eat in Japan?

People in Japan eat a lot of different things with alcohol. Two stereotypical おつまみ would have to be, Surumeika (するめいか) and Edamame (枝豆). Surumeika is dried squid kind of like beef jerky and Edamame are boiled Soybeans in their pods. People do eat a variety of other things such as cheese, Tofu, Tsukemono or pickled vegetables, or whatever.

Resources

• 摘まむ – Weblio
• さくほくぼろ – Flaky and Crumbly foods in Japanese
• ざくばりしゃり – Grainy and Crumbly words for food