hibachi

American  

[hi-bah-chee] / hɪˈbɑ tʃi /

noun

1. a small Japanese-style charcoal brazier covered with a grill, usually used for outdoor cooking.

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hibachi British  

/ hɪˈbɑːtʃɪ /

noun

1. a portable brazier for heating and cooking food

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Etymology

Origin of hibachi

1860–65; < Japanese, equivalent to hi fire (earlier fi ( y ) < *poi ) +- bachi combining form of hachi pot, earlier fati < Middle Chinese, akin to Chinese bō monk's bowl; perhaps < Pali patta < Sanskrit pā́tra drinking vessel

Explanation

A hibachi is a small, portable charcoal grill. You might bring a hibachi to a beachside cookout, along with some skewered meat and vegetables to cook on it. Hibachi means "firepot" or "fire bowl" in Japanese, and in Japan it mainly refers to a small, charcoal-fired heater. For English speakers, a hibachi is used for cooking small amounts of food outdoors. The hibachis in Western restaurants are electric, but the kind a home cook uses is made from cast iron and has open grates over hot coals — and a Japanese speaker would call it a shichirin.

Example Sentences

I like teriyaki food and hibachi places, so I’d either order from a place called Blazed N Glazed or Teriyaki Madness, or this place on campus called Hibachi Papi.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Izumu offers Japanese street food and Japanese taiyaki ice cream and there are more Hibachi tables on the Icon.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 15, 2024

Sumo Hibachi & Wings, a Korean-owned restaurant in Peachtree Corners, Ga., makes an exceptional lemon-pepper wing.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2022

The property already has a commercial restaurant, which will remain as an income-generator, whether it continues as Hibachi Buffet and Grill or another entity.

From Washington Times • Jan. 30, 2021

On Saturday, the Hibachi aficionado brought his act to the Fillmore Silver Spring, where he once again proved the importance of timing.

From Washington Post • Dec. 4, 2016