English Reference

Word

furikake

Phoneticsfu·rikake

/ˌfʊɹɪˈkɑkeɪ/

Definition

n. a dry Japanese seasoning that you sprinkle on top of cooked rice. It usually contains a mix of dried fish, seaweed, sesame seeds, and salt.

n. a dry Japanese condiment intended to be sprinkled atop cooked rice. Typically consists of a mixture of dried fish, chopped seaweed, toasted sesame seeds, and various seasonings.

Examples

“I sprinkle furikake on my rice every morning.”

“The chef finished the dish by adding a generous dusting of furikake to provide a salty, umami crunch to the plain white rice.”

“While traditional furikake relies heavily on bonito flakes and nori, modern variations may incorporate wasabi, salmon, or even shiso leaves to cater to diverse palates.”

Examples

simple

“I sprinkle furikake on my rice every morning.”

contextual

“The chef finished the dish by adding a generous dusting of furikake to provide a salty, umami crunch to the plain white rice.”

complex

“While traditional furikake relies heavily on bonito flakes and nori, modern variations may incorporate wasabi, salmon, or even shiso leaves to cater to diverse palates.”

Usage

Often treated as uncountable when referring to the seasoning generally, but countable when referring to specific varieties.

Real-World Examples

“His meals comprise mainly brown rice with a sprinkling of furikake, natto and miso soup into which he cracks a couple of raw eggs.”
The Guardian · 25 Sept 2026
“The Japanese seasoning furikake, as most of us know it, is a supermarket condiment—an instant flavor booster, no culinary lessons required.”
Food & Wine · 10 May 2021
“I imagined creating karaage, which is Japanese fried chicken (as shown above), served alongside rice and soy sauce-pickled eggs, with fresh lemons to drizzle over the chicken, complemented by cucumbers and furikake to blend into the rice.”
The New York Times · 12 Nov 2018
“Sprinkle half of the furikake atop the peas and serve the rest in a separate bowl.”
The Guardian · 8 May 2021

Etymology

From Japanese 振り掛け (furikake), a nominalised form of the verb 振り掛ける (furikakeru, "to sprinkle on top").

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Cooking

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Updated

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