Translation guide
Describes hot, humid weather or a person/appearance that is sexually attractive in a dark, mysterious way.
Describe weather that is oppressively hot and humid, often with a sense of stillness.
Describe a person, especially a woman, or their appearance as sexually attractive in a dark, mysterious, or passionate way.
蒸し暑い focuses on humidity and heat, while 暑苦しい emphasizes the oppressive, stuffy feeling that makes you uncomfortable. 暑苦しい can also describe a person's overbearing personality.
梅雨の時期は蒸し暑い。
It's sultry during the rainy season.
満員電車は暑苦しい。
A packed train is sultry and stuffy.
The most common and natural way to describe hot, humid, and stuffy weather. It emphasizes the discomfort of humidity.
今日は本当に蒸し暑いですね。
It's really sultry today, isn't it?
蒸し暑い夜はなかなか寝付けない。
On sultry nights, I can't fall asleep easily.
A verb meaning 'to be humid/stuffy'. Often used to describe the weather or a room. More casual than 蒸し暑い.
今日は蒸すね。
It's sultry today, huh.
Literally 'hot and stuffy', implying an oppressive, uncomfortable heat. Can also describe a person's demeanor (overbearing).
この部屋は暑苦しいから窓を開けよう。
This room is sultry, so let's open a window.
A 'tropical night', specifically when the temperature doesn't drop below 25°C. Used in weather forecasts and news.
今夜は熱帯夜になるでしょう。
Tonight will be a sultry night.
Describes someone or something as sexy, sensual, or alluring. It carries a nuance of mature charm and can be used for both appearance and behavior.
彼女の色っぽい視線にドキッとした。
Her sultry gaze made my heart skip a beat.
あの女優はとても色っぽい声をしている。
That actress has a very sultry voice.
A more literary or formal word meaning bewitching, voluptuous, or enchantingly beautiful. Often used to describe a femme fatale type.
彼女は妖艶な魅力を放っていた。
She exuded a sultry charm.
Literally 'troubling' or 'tantalizing', it describes a seductive, provocative beauty that stirs desire. Often used for poses or expressions.
彼女の悩ましいポーズに目を奪われた。
I was captivated by her sultry pose.
A direct loanword from English 'sexy'. Very common and casual, but lacks the dark/mysterious nuance of 'sultry'. Use with caution if you want to emphasize that nuance.
Does not fully capture the 'dark/mysterious' nuance of 'sultry'. Use 色っぽい for a closer match.
そのドレス、すごくセクシーだね。
That dress is really sexy.
蒸し暑い only describes weather or environments. Using it to describe a person would be unnatural and confusing. For a sultry person, use 色っぽい or 妖艶.