nigiri

American  

[ni-geer-ee] / nɪˈgɪər i /

Sometimes nigiri-zushi

noun

Japanese Cooking.

1. cold boiled rice moistened with rice vinegar, shaped into bite-size pieces and topped with raw seafood.

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nigiri British  

/ niːˈɡiːriː /

noun

1. (in Japanese cuisine) a small oval block of cold rice topped with wasabi and a thin slice of fish, prawn, etc, and sometimes held together by a thin band of seaweed

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Etymology

Origin of nigiri

First recorded in 1945–50; from Japanese nigiri-zushi, literally, “hand-pressed sushi, rolled sushi,” from nigiri “a gripping or grasping, handmade rice ball,” from nigiru “to grip, grasp, roll a lump of rice in the hand” + -zushi, combining form of sushi ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does nigiri compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• nigiri vs. sushi

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nigiri

In between bites of salmon nigiri, Scanlon began scrolling through apartment listings on her phone and came across a 1920s studio apartment in Los Feliz that she knew her best friend would swoon over.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

A new sushi station will feature five chefs preparing handrolls and nigiri.

From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026

Two pieces of nigiri, typically raw fish with rice, tend to cost just under $4 at Kura Sushi, which can easily be double that at other restaurants, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026

They serve classic rolls, sashimi, nigiri and their signature rolls, in addition to ramen and starters.

From Salon ● Sep. 29, 2025

Hideki Matsuyama, the first champion from Japan, in 2022 splurged with sashimi, nigiri sushi and Wagyu beef.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2025