The Meaning of nurui [温い] In Japanese

温い
ぬるい
Romaji: nurui N4

What does 温い mean?

Translation and Meaning

lukewarm, tepid, mild

Definition

温い describes warmth that is not hot, i.e., tepid, and can extend metaphorically to an attitude, reaction, or tone that is gentle or nonassertive.

Type

adjective (i-adjective)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Temperature sense: describes liquids or surfaces that are warm but not hot.
  • Figurative sense: describes a gentle, nonassertive or lax stance, or a muted tone.
  • Flavor or sensory nuance: may imply something mild or not sharply defined in flavor or effect.

Composition

  • 温: warmth, heat; combined with the い adjective ending to indicate a mild warmth rather than strong heat, yielding the sense of tepidness.

Usage

Used in casual speech to describe drinks or situations; ぬるい is common for temperature, while 温い in writing might be less common; in more formal contexts, 温かい or 微温 can be used to specify warmth; when describing people or responses, the sense often carries a negative nuance of complacency or lack of enthusiasm; examples include ぬるいお茶, ぬるい対応, ぬるい風潮.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: link nurui to a teacup that is warm but not hot, and picture the tepid sensation to recall the meaning; the ぬるい pronunciation echoes the idea of mild warmth rather than intensity.

Variations

  • ぬるい (nurui) — standard reading for lukewarm
  • 緩い (yurui) — broader sense of loose or lax in figurative uses
  • 熱い (atsui) and 温かい (atatakai) — antonyms in temperature sense

Example Phrases

  • 温いお茶が出てきて、ほっとした。
    Nurui ocha ga dete kite, hotto shita.
    The lukewarm tea arrived, and I felt relieved.
    Lista:
    • 温い (nurui) – lukewarm
    • お茶 (ocha) – tea
    • が (ga) – subject marker
    • 出てきて (dete kite) – came out
    • ほっとした (hotto shita) – felt relieved
    「温い」 significa morno; aqui modifica 「お茶」 para indicar a temperatura.
温い