Translation guide
Describes a very unpleasant, strong, or offensive odor. Japanese has several common words and phrases to express this, ranging from general terms to more specific or emphatic ones.
To describe a bad or unpleasant smell in general.
The most direct and common word for 'foul smell' or 'stench'. Used in both spoken and written Japanese.
部屋に悪臭が漂っている。
A foul smell is lingering in the room.
An adjective meaning 'smelly' or 'stinky'. Very common in casual speech. Can be used as a standalone exclamation.
この牛乳、臭いよ。
This milk smells bad.
Literally 'unpleasant smell'. A softer, more subjective way to say something smells bad.
何か嫌な臭いがする。
There's some kind of foul smell.
Means 'strange odor' or 'unusual smell'. Often used in news reports or formal contexts when the source is unknown.
駅で異臭が発生し、数人が体調不良を訴えた。
A strange odor occurred at the station, and several people reported feeling ill.
To emphasize a very strong, penetrating, or nauseating foul smell.
Means 'intense foul smell'. A common way to emphasize the strength of the odor.
ゴミ置き場から強烈な悪臭がする。
There's an intense foul smell coming from the garbage area.
Literally 'a smell that pierces the nose'. Describes a sharp, pungent odor that hits you immediately.
鼻をつく臭いで目が覚めた。
I woke up to a pungent smell.
Means 'a smell that makes you feel nauseous'. Used for extremely foul odors.
吐き気を催すような臭いが下水から漂ってきた。
A nauseating stench wafted from the sewer.
Specifically for the smell of something rotting, like food or organic matter.
Means 'putrid smell' or 'smell of decay'. Used for rotting organic material.
冷蔵庫から腐敗臭がする。
There's a rotten smell coming from the fridge.
Describes a raw, fishy, or bloody smell. Often used for seafood or meat that is starting to go bad.
この魚は生臭いから、もう食べられない。
This fish smells raw and off, so we can't eat it anymore.
A verb meaning 'to go bad and smell sour/rotten', typically for food. Not commonly used in daily conversation.
For foul smells that are acrid, like burning rubber, chemicals, or smoke.
Means 'smelling burnt'. Used for the smell of something burning, like food or fabric.
何か焦げ臭いけど、大丈夫？
Something smells burnt; is everything okay?
Means 'irritating smell' or 'pungent odor'. Often used for chemical fumes or strong cleaning agents.
臭い (におい) is a neutral word for 'smell', but when used alone or with negative adjectives, it implies a bad smell. 香り (かおり) is used for pleasant smells, like flowers or perfume. To explicitly say 'foul smell', use 悪臭 or 嫌な臭い.
You can attach 臭い to nouns to mean 'smelling of ~'. For example, カビ臭い (かびくさい) means 'smelling moldy', and 汗臭い (あせくさい) means 'smelling of sweat'. This is very productive in casual speech.
A sour, rotten smell fills the kitchen.
工場から刺激臭が漏れている。
An irritating chemical smell is leaking from the factory.