おつまみ（おつまみ、otsumami）
- snack

おつまみ refers to snacks or side dishes that are eaten while drinking alcoholic beverages. They are similar to appetizers or bar snacks in English. The purpose of おつまみ is to complement the flavor of the drinks and to prevent the drinker from getting too intoxicated by slowing down the absorption of alcohol. The range of おつまみ can vary greatly, from simple items like peanuts and edamame to more elaborate dishes. It is a very common part of Japanese drinking culture.

⚫︎ 居酒屋でビールを飲むときは、いつもおつまみを注文します。 Translation: When I drink beer at an izakaya (Japanese pub), I always order snacks. ⚫︎ 今日のおつまみは何ですか？ Translation: What are the snacks today? ⚫︎ 辛いおつまみはビールによく合いますね。 Translation: Spicy snacks go well with beer, don't they?

You use おつまみ when talking about snacks that accompany alcoholic drinks. You can use it when ordering food at a bar or restaurant, discussing what to eat with your drinks, or describing the kind of food that is available. It's suitable for both formal and informal conversations, depending on the context. If you are ordering snacks, you can simply ask, おつまみはありますか？ (Do you have any snacks?) or specify what you would like to order: おつまみに枝豆をください。 (Edamame for a snack, please.).

おつまみ is typically written in hiragana. It is not generally written in katakana or kanji. There are no variations in okurigana. It is always written as おつまみ.

There aren't many direct synonyms, but some related words might be used: ⚫︎ 酒の肴 (sake no sakana): This is a more formal term for snacks that accompany alcoholic beverages. ⚫︎ ツマミ (tsumami): A shortened and more casual version of おつまみ, often used in spoken Japanese.おつまみ is often shortened to ツマミ. ⚫︎ 肴 (sakana): This term, meaning "side dish to accompany alcohol," is also used, but it's a bit more general than おつまみ, which implies it's specifically a snack.

There aren't specific antonyms, as the concept relates more to a category than a specific word with an opposite. However, you could consider foods that are eaten *without* alcohol as being an indirect contrast.

ビールを飲むとき、おつまみとして焼き鳥を頼むことが多いです。 ・Translation: When I drink beer, I often order yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) as a snack. ・Explanation: This sentence explains what is commonly ordered and eaten with beer.

今日は日本酒に合うおつまみを探しています。 ・Translation: Today, I am looking for snacks that go well with sake (Japanese rice wine). ・Explanation: This sentence specifies that the speaker wants a snack that complements sake.

The word おつまみ is derived from the verb 摘まむ (tsumamu), meaning "to pick up," "to pinch," or "to nibble." The "お" (o) is a polite prefix. Thus, おつまみ literally refers to something that is "picked up" or "nibbled" while drinking.