シメ
Meaning: The final meal eaten to cap off a night of drinking — typically ramen, ochazuke, or udon.
Written in katakana from 締め (closing/finishing), シメ is the beloved ritual of eating one last dish to wrap up a drinking session. Ramen is the most iconic シメ choice, but ochazuke (rice with tea), udon, and ramen-ya are all popular options. It's considered an essential part of the drinking experience, and late-night ramen shops thrive on this culture.
Examples
- 飲んだ後のシメのラーメンが最高なんだよ。 喝完酒之后来碗收尾拉面简直太棒了。El ramen de cierre después de beber es lo mejor.마시고 난 후의 마무리 라면이 최고야.
- シメに何食べる?ラーメンかお茶漬けか迷う。 收尾吃什么?拉面还是茶泡饭,好纠结。¿Qué comemos para cerrar? Dudo entre ramen y ochazuke.마무리로 뭐 먹을래? 라면이랑 오차즈케 중에 고민돼.
- シメのラーメン屋さん、もう閉まっちゃってた。 想去吃收尾拉面,但那家店已经关门了。La tienda de ramen para el cierre ya había cerrado.마무리 라면집이 벌써 문 닫았더라.
Pronunciation
/ɕi.me/
Usage Guide
Context: drinking, late night, friends
Tone: satisfied, ritualistic
✓ Do Say
- シメにラーメン行こう! (Let's go get ramen to cap off the night!)去吃碗收尾拉面吧!¡Vamos a por un ramen para cerrar la noche!마무리로 라면 먹으러 가자!
- シメは何にする? (What do you want for the final meal?)收尾吃什么?¿Qué quieres de plato de cierre?마무리 뭐 먹을 거야?
✗ Don't Say
- 飲んでない食事の最後に「シメ」とは普通言わない (You don't usually say シメ for the end of a meal that didn't involve drinking)不喝酒的普通吃饭结束时一般不说'シメ'Normalmente no se dice シメ para referirse al final de una comida en la que no se ha bebido alcohol술을 마시지 않은 식사의 마지막에 'シメ'라고는 보통 하지 않는다
Common Mistakes
- Thinking シメ can be any large meal — it specifically refers to the final dish after a drinking session, usually something simple and comforting
Origin & History
From 締め (closing/wrapping up), written in katakana. A deeply rooted part of Japanese drinking culture — the final food that 'closes' the night, especially associated with late-night ramen.
Cultural Context
Era: Traditional drinking culture term, timeless
Generation: All ages (legal drinking age 20+)
Social background: Universal among drinkers
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Late-night ramen shops owe much of their business to シメ culture.
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