“Kuchisabishii” is a Japanese term for unconscious eating. Do you find yourself wandering over to the kitchen during quarantine ― even when you don’t feel hungry? Have you been leaning into your favorite comfort foods a little more than usual lately? Sounds like you have a “lonely mouth.”
For those who cannot relate, “kuchisabishii” is a uniquely Japanese word that means “lonely mouth”. This can also imply “longing to have or put something in one’s mouth.”
Facts to Know about Japanese Foods
Given how expansive the Japanese snack food game is ― Kit Kat bars in hundreds of flavors, Pringles offered in varieties like fried chicken and squid, the list goes on and on. It’s no wonder a word like this gets tossed around so often.
How do you say it in English? Koo-chi-sa-bi-shē, according to Vanessa Villalobos, a Japanese instructor in England who runs the site JapaneseLondon.com.
While there’s no true equivalent to the word in English, Villalobos said “peckish” might be the closest fit. (You’re not starving, but hungry-ish enough that you’ll poke around the contents of your cupboard, like some peckish Hot Cheeto-craving bird.)
“Kuchisabishii is similar to peckish in that it’s much more about the actual action, than the feeling of hunger,” she said. “However, kuchisabishii can also be applied to wanting to have a cigarette when stressed, for consolation.”
Other Japanese words that seem relevant to quarantine life
Speaking of cravings, learning about kuchisabishii definitely whet our appetite for more Japanese vocabulary. Given how idiomatic the language, there are other words we could be using currently to describe our collective quarantine experience?
“Well, we’ve been using ‘corona butori,’ which means getting a bit plump because of quarantine,” Matz told HuffPost.
In that case, maybe we all need to get outside for a walk in nature (while staying six feet apart, of course). There’s a specific term for that in Japanese, too: “shinrinyoku,” which literally translates as “forest bathing.”
“In order to get away from my lonely mouth, I’ve been sure to enjoy shinrinyoku as much as possible”. Villalobos offered as a usage example. “Filling my eyes with trees is way better for the waistline!”. Fun fact: The term shinrinyoku was coined in the 1980s by an official at the Japan Forest Agency who wanted to highlight the health benefits of “soaking in” nature.
Elena Yoo, a Japanese teacher at Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu, said people might hear the phrase while enjoying kaiseki ryori, a fancy, traditional Japanese multi-course, sit-down meal.
“Your chef may say something like, ‘Here is some pre-appetizer dish to satisfy your kuchisabishii feeling,’ and may serve you something very small,” she said. “That would be a dish to get your appetite going instead of filling in your hunger.”
“It’s a perfect use of the kuchisabishii, actually,” she said, “because you have the expectation of eventually consuming all the courses of traditional Japanese cuisine and satisfying your cravings.”
4 Phrases that Explore Japanese Food Culture
Gochisousama: “thank you for everything”
Itadakimasu is said when you start eating a meal. But, when the meal is over, remember to give thanks again using the phrase gochisousama. That is a sign of respect towards the chef. This translates as a more formal way of saying “it was a feast,” as the word gochiso refers to a meal of luxurious foods. Before saying gochisousama, it is also good manners to return all the dishes and chopsticks back to where they were at the start of the meal.
Meshiagare: “bon appétit”
The French phrase, “bon appétit”, has become a commonly used saying all around the world, meaning to “dig in”. In Japan, the equivalent phrase is meshiagare, which would be said by the chef or host to show that the food has been served and is ready to eat. This is part of the dining etiquette in Japan, which emphasises the importance of greeting and serving the customer. Many Japanese restaurants will greet you with a hot, wet towel (oshibori), used to clean your hands before eating. From the moment you sit down at the table to when the chef signals for you to enjoy your food – “meshiagare!” – you know you will be looked after.
Oishii: “it’s delicious
Just as it is important to be appreciative, it is also respectful to be complimentary of the food. If your meal is delicious, then let people know by saying oishii. It is an enthusiastic term to communicate that the food you’re eating is good. Another phrase often used by men, umai, can also be said after the first bite to express the deliciousness of a meal.
Itadakimasu: “to eat and receive”
It is an important part of Japanese food culture to thank everything involved the preparation of a meal. And that includes the chef, the waiter, and the food itself – and the phrase itadakimasu does just that.
This expression of gratitude originated from the verb itadaku (which means “to receive”). And this phrase is not said to others but used to express personal thanks. Itadakimasu might also be said while bowing the head as a sign of respect.
Conclusion
People all over the world connect through their love of food and, within Japanese food culture. Whether you’re about to dig into some sushi or just want to express how delicious your meal is, get to know these foodie phrases and put them to good use next time you tuck into some Japanese cuisine.
