Yakimono

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A culinary tradition in Japan centered around items that are prepared by grilling or roasting methods
2. A style of cooking in Japanese cuisine that includes various dishes that are charred, grilled, or roasted over a flame
3. Dishes in Japanese cooking that involve preparing food by applying direct heat through grilling or roasting

Etymology: Yakimono is a Japanese compound built from "yaku", meaning to grill, bake or roast, and "mono", meaning thing. Its literal sense is simply "something grilled or baked," which is why the word is used in Japan for a broad category of cooked foods rather than for any one dish. The English word arrived as a direct borrowing from the Japanese term 焼き物, so it keeps the original meaning intact. The surprise is how far the Japanese word stretches beyond its literal sense. In Japanese usage, "yakimono" also refers to ceramics and pottery, a meaning that comes from the same root idea of baking or firing clay in a kiln. English speakers who meet the word in a food context therefore often have no idea that the same term can name a fired earthenware bowl.