Shari
/ˈʃɑː.ri/noun
The vinegared rice used in making sushi.
Did you know?Japanese shari comes from Buddhist terminology for śarīra, the cremated bodily relics of the Buddha and other revered figures.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*śarīras
“Body or bodily substance; the reconstructed ancestor of Sanskrit śarīra.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śarīra
“Body, bodily remains, or physical substance.”
Buddhist Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śarīra
“The bodily relics of the Buddha or other holy persons, especially cremated remains.”
Ancient Japanese
Japanese
shari（舎利）
“Buddhist relic; later, rice grains metaphorically compared with relics.”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
shari（シャリ）
“The vinegared rice used in sushi.”
20th Century
English
shari
“A culinary loanword for sushi rice.”