漬物

• Reading: つけもの
• Romaji: tsukemono
• Kanji breakdown: 漬 (tsuke) — to pickle, soak; 物 (mono) — thing
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ke.mo.no/

Meaning

Tsukemono; pickled vegetables. A traditional Japanese side dish served with most meals.

A broad category of Japanese pickles made by preserving vegetables in salt, vinegar, rice bran (ぬか), or miso. Common types include たくあん (pickled daikon), 梅干し (pickled plum), and きゅうりの漬物 (pickled cucumber). Tsukemono serve as a palate cleanser and add variety to meals.

Examples

1. 祖母は毎年自分で漬物を作ります。 My grandmother makes her own pickles every year.
2. 定食には必ず漬物がついてきます。 Set meals always come with pickles.
3. この漬物は塩だけで漬けたものです。 These pickles were made with just salt.

Usage Guide

Context: food, restaurants, home cooking

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 漬 (to pickle, soak) and 物 (thing). Pickling has been a preservation method in Japan for thousands of years, long before refrigeration.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal