Do you know all the flavors in Japanese? Do you know how to express the sensations of taste in the Nipponese language? In this article, we will talk about the taste sensations used by the Japanese palate and detail some of them.
The Japanese take cuisine and flavor so seriously that they even discovered an official taste sensation named umami. They use many seasonings and little salt to give a unique and distinct flavor to their food.
The palate is a chemical sensation perceived by specific cells, the taste buds. Through them, we can distinguish salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami flavors. But have you ever wondered how to say this in Japanese?
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Table of Contents
How to say flavors in Japanese?
When eating or tasting something, the expressions for flavors and sensations in the Japanese language are:
- Aji [味] – Flavor;
- Oishii [美味しい] – Delicious, Tasty;
- Umai [うまい] – Good;
- Amai [甘い] – Sweet;
- Nigai [苦い] – Bitter;
- Suppai [酸っぱい] – Sour;
- Shoppai [しょっぱい] – Salty;
- Umami [旨味] – Umami;
- Shiokarai [塩辛い] – Salty;
- Karai [辛い] – Spicy;
- Shibui [渋い] – Astringent;
- Mazui [まずい] – Bad Taste;
- Atsui [熱い] – Hot;
- Tsumetai [冷たい] – Cold;
- Atatakai [温かい] – Warm;
How to say something is tasty in Japanese?
There are several ways to say that something is tasty, delicious, or very good in Japanese. See in detail some of the expressions below:
Oishii [美味しい] – A common word to say that something is tasty and delicious. Its use extends beyond food; it can be used to say that a person is attractive or has a warm body.
Umai [うまい] – Means good, tasty, and delicious. The word Umai is often used not only when we taste something delicious but also when we witness something good and are surprised by the result, wanting to say: Well done! Skillful!
Umai, besides being written in hiragana, can be written in various kanji:
- 美味い – Literally refers to a good taste;
- 旨い – Refers to something delicious;
- 巧い/上手い – Refers to the act of doing something good, clever, tasty;
Examples of use:
- うまく行く– umaku iku – Go well, be successful;
- 日本語うまいですね – nihongo umai desu ne! – You speak Japanese very well!
It is worth remembering that the pronounced form also greatly influences the effect of the word; whenever expressing taste for something, speak in a way that expresses feeling.
Kekkou [結構] – Although its use to describe flavors is not very common, some may use it to say that the food is splendid, wonderful, nice, and delicious. It can also indicate that a person is already full, does not want more, finds it tolerable, or thanks, so be careful when using it.
- Maiuu [まいうー] slang for umai;
- Boono [ボーノ] comes from the Italian buono;
- Maiyu [まいゆ] – slang for umai;
Another way to show gratitude for the food, especially in restaurants, is by finishing the meal by saying Gochisousamadeshita [ご馳走様でした].
Read also: Itadakimasu and Gochisousama – What is the true meaning?
How do you say sweet in Japanese?
To express that something is sweet in Japanese, we use amai [甘い], which can also mean naive, unprepared, mediocre, excessively tolerant, mild, soft, insufficient, incomplete, ineffective, juicy.
Unlike Portuguese, this word can have a negative connotation when used in occasions that are not describing the taste of food. So be careful when calling something sweet. For example:
- Niamae [人に甘い] – Can refer to a spoiled or easy person;
- Amaeru [甘える ] – Means to flatter, to fawn, to hit on;
- Amai hahaoya [甘い母親] – Negatively, a mother who spoils her child;
- Amaku kangaeru [甘く考える] – To underestimate, to be unprepared, to dream too much;
How do you say sour in Japanese?
To say sour in Japanese, we use the expression Suppai [酸っぱい], which fortunately has no other meanings besides sour. The word is used to refer mainly to acidic things and can also be used in phrases like:
- Sui mo amai mo [酸いも甘いも] Good and bad times
Acidity is an indispensable and daily flavor on the Japanese table, whether in food or condiments. To refer to sourness, we use the expression “Sanmi” [酸味]. A source of sour flavor that the Japanese like and consume is vinegar, Umeboshi, which are pickled plums, and some sauces.
Read also: Get to know Ume, the Japanese plum and its variations
How do you say bitter in Japanese?
The bitter taste or bitterness in Japanese can be expressed with Nigami [苦味]. The adjective for bitter in Japanese is Nigai [苦い] and can be found in some Japanese sauces and in the famous dish Goya Chanpuru.
Read also: Goya Chanpuru – A bitter dish from Okinawa
In addition to bitterness, we also have astringency, which in Japanese is called Shibumi [渋み]. Astringency is not a flavor but a mechanical sensation. The adjective for something astringent in Japanese is Shibui [渋い].
Astringency occurs when a product is consumed, the drying effect fills the mouth, just like the tongue’s sensation inside the cheeks. Astringency is often confused with bitterness, which is “detected” by the taste buds on the tongue.
Umami – The Japanese flavor
It is considered one of the 5 basic flavors, recognized worldwide, yet little spoken about. Umami is on the same level as sweet, salty, and sour, but is rarely mentioned when referring to tastes.
Umami [うま味] – Can be translated as “pleasant savory flavor.” This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda. It is a derivation of UMAI [うまい] which means “delicious” and MI [味] which means “taste.”
Umami has a smooth but lasting residual taste, difficult to describe. It induces salivation and a velvety sensation on the tongue; it can stimulate the throat, palate, and the back of the mouth.
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