握り寿司

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 握り寿司 is read にぎりずし and denotes sushi made with hand-formed rice and a topping.
• Basic usage: Express making it with 握り寿司を作る and arranging several kinds with 握り寿司を皿に並べる.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Reading in the compound
  • Independent 寿司 is read すし, but it becomes ずし in 握り寿司. The compound is not read にぎりすし.
• 握り and holding
  • 握り in the name relates to shaping the rice by hand. It does not merely state that the sushi is being held while eaten.
• 握り寿司 and 巻き寿司
  • 握り寿司 has a topping on hand-formed rice, while 巻き寿司(まきずし) is made by rolling rice and fillings.