1A dish (meat, fish, vegetables, etc.) eaten together with rice — a general, everyday word covering both main and side dishes that accompany a meal.
今日のおかずは焼き魚とほうれん草のおひたしです。
Today's dishes are grilled fish and blanched spinach.
おかずが少ないと、ご飯だけでは物足りない。
If there aren't many dishes, rice alone isn't very satisfying.
子どもが好きなおかずを多めに作った。
I made extra of the dishes the kids like.
お弁当のおかずは前の晩に作っておくことが多い。
I often prepare the side dishes for my bento the night before.
2Musician slang for a short decorative phrase that fills a gap in a performance — most often used for a drum fill.
サビに入る前に、ドラムのおかずを少し増やそう。
Let's add a bit more drum fill right before the chorus.
このギターのおかずが曲全体の雰囲気を作っている。
This guitar fill sets the mood for the whole song.
3Vulgar slang for material (images, videos, etc.) used for sexual arousal / masturbation. Common in youth slang, usually written in katakana as オカズ.
この写真集は男性ファンのオカズとして有名だ。
This photo collection is well known as "material" among male fans.