薩摩芋

Japanese

Kanji in this term
薩	摩	芋
さつ Jinmeiyō	ま Grade: S	いも Grade: S
on’yomi		kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
甘藷

Etymology

From 薩摩 (Satsuma, “Satsuma”) +‎ 芋 (imo, “potato”). So called as it is produced in Satsuma Province, today part of western Kagoshima Prefecture. It is related to the introduction from international trade (Nanban trade) prior 鎖国(さこく) (sakoku) era.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さつまいも [sàtsúmá ímó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [sa̠t͡sɨᵝma̠ imo̞]

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

薩(さつ)摩(ま)芋(いも) or 薩摩芋(サツマイモ) • (Satsuma imo) 

1. sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

   Synonyms: 唐芋 (karaimo, tōimo), 甘藷 (kansho), 蕃藷 (bansho), 琉球薯 (Ryūkyū imo)

   Hypernym: 昼顔 (hirugao)

Usage notes

• As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as サツマイモ.

Derived terms

• 薩(さつ)摩(ま)芋(いも)飴(あめ) (Satsuma-imo-ame, “sweet potato candy”)

Descendants

• → English: satsumaimo

See also

• 薩(さつ)摩(ま) (Satsuma)
• 芋(いも) (imo, “potato”)