Ginnan

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The edible seed of the ginkgo tree, often roasted or simmered and served in East Asian dishes
2. A small nut-like seed taken from the ginkgo tree and prepared as a food in Japanese and Chinese cooking
3. The pale green kernel of the ginkgo fruit, commonly eaten after roasting in Japanese cuisine

Etymology: Written 銀杏 in Japanese, this seed is called ginnan, a Sino-Japanese reading of two Chinese characters meaning "silver apricot." The Chinese name for the seed, "baiguo" (white fruit), is a different term, so the Japanese word borrows the Chinese characters while keeping its own sound. The tree itself got its Western name from a misreading. Japanese speakers also pronounce the characters as "ginkyō" for the tree, and a European botanist took that form as the tree's name, which was then Latinized as "Ginkgo." The seed, ginnan, kept the more everyday reading and is still eaten roasted or in savoury dishes across East Asia, where its name appears on food labels and in restaurant menus.