シメ

• Reading: シメ
• Romaji: shime
• Kanji breakdown: From 締め (closing/finishing), written in katakana to give it a casual, slangy feel
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.me/

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

1. 飲んだ後のシメのラーメンが最高なんだよ。 Ramen to cap off a night of drinking is the absolute best.
2. シメに何食べる？ラーメンかお茶漬けか迷う。 What should we have for the finisher? I can't decide between ramen and ochazuke.
3. シメのラーメン屋さん、もう閉まっちゃってた。 The ramen place for the after-drinks finisher was already closed.

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!)
• シメは何にする？ (What do you want for the final meal?)

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)

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.