煮る

• Reading: にる
• Romaji: niru
• Kanji breakdown: 煮 (ni) — to boil, simmer (灬 = fire radical at bottom)
• Pronunciation: /ni.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To boil; to simmer; to stew. A fundamental cooking verb for preparing food in liquid.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb used for cooking ingredients in liquid over heat. Central to Japanese cuisine, used in dishes like 煮物 (simmered dishes), 肉じゃが (meat and potato stew), and 煮魚 (simmered fish). Often the liquid is a dashi-based broth seasoned with soy sauce and mirin.

Examples

1. 大根を柔らかくなるまで煮ました。 I simmered the daikon radish until it was tender.
2. 母はよく野菜を煮て晩ごはんを作ります。 My mom often simmers vegetables for dinner.
3. このスープは二時間煮るとさらに美味しくなります。 This soup gets even more delicious if you simmer it for two hours.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, recipes, home cooking

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 煮 combines 者 (person/thing) and the fire radical 灬, suggesting cooking something over a fire. A core culinary verb throughout Japanese history.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal