Sashimi (사시미) (Japanese:刺身) is a Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of very fresh raw seafood, thinly sliced into pieces about 2.5 cm (1 inch) wide by 4 cm (1½ inches) long by 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thick, and served with only a dipping sauce (like soy sauce with wasabi paste and thinly sliced ginger root, or ponzu), and a simple garnish like shiso and shredded daikon radishes.
The name sashimi literally means "pierced body." "刺身=sashimi" consists of "刺し=sashi(pierced/sticked)" and "身=mi(body/meat)".
It may have come from the former practice of sticking the tail and its fin of the fish on the slices, to let it be known which fish one was eating. Another etymologic idea is that because 切り身=kiri-mi(cut body/meat) is reminiscent of cutting a person with 刀=katana(Backsword), the word sashimi was chosen intentionally instead.
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