English adopted sushi from Japanese along with the name of the dish. Its English use is a straightforward borrowing. The name identifies the vinegared rice preparation; raw fish is a possible accompaniment, not a requirement of the word.
sushi
A dish based on vinegared rice with various accompaniments.
Sushi came from Japanese.
How sushi reached English
oldest firstJapanese
sushi
‘Sushi’
into English
English
sushi
‘The rice-based dish’
The story of sushi
Related
Borrowed food names often make everyday language an atlas of cultural contact.