mochi

[ moh-chee ]

noun

1. cooked and pounded glutinous rice formed into various shapes and used to make traditional Japanese sweets and other dishes (often used attributively):

   mochi balls;

   mochi ice cream.

2. Also called but·ter mo·chi. a sticky, spongy Hawaiian dessert whose principal ingredients are butter, sugar, eggs, rice flour, and coconut milk.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mochi¹

Borrowed into English from Japanese around 1880–90

Example Sentences

Once an immigrant hub, this vibrant downtown district is a tourist destination where a 121-year-old mochi shop co-exists with sneaker shops.

From Los Angeles Times

At Steel’s election headquarters in a multistory outdoor mall in Buena Park, dozens of volunteers gathered early one overcast Saturday for coffee, mochi donuts and a refresher on voter outreach.

From Los Angeles Times

As the third generation of his family to own the mochi shop, Kito is taking the long view.

From Los Angeles Times

Today, in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, Ms. Teo oversees more than 200 employees at the company she founded, Hernan, which exports frozen durian as well as mochi and other durian products.

From New York Times

They make a hot chocolate sauce and I like to throw some strawberries on mine, some nuts and mochi.

From Los Angeles Times