2002.12.16
Welcome back! Last week we talked mostly about Christmas. This week we turn the spotlight on New Year's. We're going to talk about some of the foods and activities that are a regular part of the New Year's celebration in Japan.
Let's start with the food, shall we?
- Here are English names for three of the delicious ways rice is used in Japan:
もち rice cake
煎餅 rice cracker
酒 rice wine ("sake" and "saki" are also commonly used)
But when speaking English with a person already familiar with Japan, feel free to use Japanese words for things uniquely Japanese. For example, it is very natural to say, "How many pieces of mochi would you like in your soup?") - 日本の食べ物で、米が使われている物の呼び名を３つ紹介しましょう：
もち rice cake
煎餅 rice cracker
酒 rice wine （sake またはsaki という言い方も一般的です）
日本についてよく知っている人と話すときは、日本名を使って構いません。たとえば、How many pieces of mochi would you like in your soup?（お雑煮にお餅はいくつ入れますか）などという言い方はとても自然です。
- My favorite way to eat rice cakes is to dip them in soy sauce then wrap them in nori.
- There are dozens of kinds of rice crackers available in supermarkets - some sweet, some salty, others spicy.
- In many Asian countries, celebrations frequently include sharing a bottle of rice wine.
See you tomorrow!