Most people associate the name sushi with raw fish, and with the distinctive rolls of seaweed stuffed with rice and fillings. In fact, the standard roll is only one subtype of sushi, and doesn't always contain raw fish. Raw fish itself is a seperate kind of sushi, called sashimi, and is often mixed and matched with other types of sushi, such as the rolls.
Sushi is an incredibly variable type of dish, which can be modified almost infinitely. Sushi itself is literally defined as "vinegared rice." As you can imagine, the types are limitless. There are a few categories, but in general, any short grain rice with rice vinegar added is sushi, whether it's rolled, or even in a bowl. In most sushi the rice vinegar is balance with an equal measure of sugar, more or less depending on the type of sushi.
Maki-sushi
The rolled sushi is called maki-sushi, and can be filled with any number of ingredients. The standard in this case is the dry flattened sheets of seaweed that are used to roll the sushi. It is generally on the outside, but some skillful variations have sesame seeds on the outside instead, with the seaweed rolled into the middle.
Hand rolled sushi, or temaki-zushi, is a subtype of maki-sushi, that is folded up without using a rolling mat. It is much easier, as the ingredients are simply placed in the hand and folded together, not rolled and cut. A half or quarter sheet of seaweed is placed in the hand, with vinegared sushi rice and toppings, and rolled into a cone shape.
Oshi- and Nigiri-zushi
Oshi-sushi and Nigiri-sushi are two similar types of sushi. The fillings placed inside rolled sushi are instead placed on top of a pad of rice with this kind of sushi. Nigiri sushi is a "finger" of rice with something placed on top of it, normally a piece of filleted fish or baked egg. Sometimes this little package is tied together with a thin strip of nori.
For oshi sushi, the toppings are put first into a wooden mold, with rice packed in behind them. When the mold is opened, it forms a nice cube of rice squeezed together with meat or vegetables on top. These are similar to rice balls, or onigiri, where toppings are instead placed inside a ball of rice while the rice is molded, but onigiri tend to have sweeter ingredients and rice, and are commonly a child's snack.
Chirashi and Sashimi
Chirashi and sashimi sushi are most commonly associated with raw fish. Sashimi literally means raw fish, and is a selection of slices of raw fish, with vinegared rice served on the side. Similarly, chirashi sushi is often raw fish, served atop a bed of rice. The fish is not raw by necessity, however, and chirashi is often served with other ingredients in a bowl of rice.
Stuffed Sushi
Vinegared rice can often be put in a pouch of egg or fried tofu to make tasty stuffed sushi. Inari-zushi is the fried tofu version, which is usually fairly sweet and savory. The tofu pouch is called aburage, and is fried in a sugar and soy based sauce. The egg version is fried like a crepe and formed into a pouch for the rice.
For more detailed information on types of sushi, see this sushi glossary, and for more detail on making sushi's characteristic vinagered rice see How to Make Rice for Sushi.
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