Translation guide
How to express that something smells bad in Japanese, from casual complaints to formal descriptions.
To say something smells bad or stinks.
The most common and direct adjective for 'stinks' or 'smells bad'. Can be used for anything from garbage to body odor.
Literally 'has a bad smell'. More descriptive and slightly less direct than 臭い alone.
この部屋、変な臭いがする。
This room smells weird.
Formal or written term for 'stench' or 'foul odor'. Used in news or official contexts.
工場から悪臭が漂っている。
A foul odor is drifting from the factory.
To express the action of smelling a bad odor.
Literally 'to smell a bad smell'. Use 嗅ぐ for intentionally sniffing something.
彼は靴下の臭いを嗅いだ。
He smelled the stink of his socks.
To say something makes a place smell bad.
Means 'to become smelly'. Often used to say a place got stunk up.
魚を焼いたら部屋が臭くなった。
The room stank after I grilled fish.
Literally 'to attach a smell'. Used when something transfers its odor to something else.
タバコの臭いを服に付けないで。
Don't make my clothes stink of cigarette smoke.
To express that a situation seems suspicious or corrupt, like 'something stinks'.
The same word for physical smell is used figuratively to mean 'suspicious' or 'fishy'. Often used in the phrase 何か臭い (something stinks).
あの話、何か臭いと思わない？
Don't you think that story stinks?
To describe particular types of bad smells.
臭い (kusai) is an adjective meaning 'stinks', while 匂い (nioi) is a noun meaning 'smell' (neutral or pleasant). Saying いい匂い means 'good smell', but 臭い alone always implies bad smell.
You can attach 臭い to some nouns to create compound adjectives describing a specific bad smell, e.g., 汗臭い (ase-kusai, sweaty smell), 酒臭い (sake-kusai, reeking of alcohol). This is very productive in casual speech.
Means 'suspicious-looking' or 'shady'. Stronger than 臭い alone.
あのセールスマン、胡散臭いね。
That salesman stinks (seems shady).
何か焦げ臭くない？
Doesn't something smell burnt?
このタオル、カビ臭いよ。
This towel stinks of mildew.