Sushi is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients, usually raw fish or other seafood. Ingredients and forms of sushi presentation vary widely, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is vinegared rice. The vinegared rice is also referred to as shari and sumeshi. Raw meat (usually but not necessarily seafood) sliced and served by itself is sashimi. Many non-Japanese use the terms sashimi and sushi interchangeably, but they are not synonymous. Sushi refers to any dish made with vinegared rice.

In general, Americans do not know what real sushi is, and many believe sushi is simply raw fish - but raw fish is actually sashimi, not sushi. This incorrect belief of what sushi is has left many Americans unwilling to sample sushi as an appetizer. Still others have no clue what sushi is or why it is so expensive and considered a delicacy.

Sushi actually is characterized by a slightly sweet, sticky rice, made with a sweet vinegar and rice combination, usually lined with seaweed or kelp, called nori, and then the ingredients are placed in the center and the rice and seaweed are wrapped around the ingredients into a cylindrical roll. Once the sushi is rolled, it can be cut into the familiar circles served in restaurants and stores in America.

Some possible ingredients for a sushi include fish (cooked, steamed, raw or cured), seafood, and both raw and steamed vegetables. In America, other ingredients can be found in restaurants including pieces of beef, avocado, pickles, pimento, cheeses and more. As you can see, while sushi can contain raw fish, sushi itself is not actually raw fish. Once you realize this, you can probably find a sushi version to suit your tastes and sample real sushi, without worrying about eating raw fish (sashimi).