Translation guide
Describes a sharp, sour taste, often pleasantly so, like lemon or green apple. Also refers to a type of pastry.
Describe a pleasantly sharp, sour flavor, like citrus, vinegar, or sour fruit.
The most common word for 'sour' or 'tart'. Used for lemons, vinegar, unripe fruit, etc. Can be negative if too sour, but often neutral/positive in context.
Describe a comment, reply, or manner that is sharp, cutting, or slightly mean.
Means 'biting', 'caustic', or 'tart' for remarks. Commonly used for harsh criticism or sarcasm.
彼の辛辣なコメントに傷ついた。
I was hurt by his tart comment.
Refer to a tart as a baked dish with a pastry base and filling.
The direct loanword for 'tart' as a pastry. Used for both sweet fruit tarts and savory tarts.
すっぱい is the everyday adjective for 'sour/tart'. 酸味がある is more analytical, like 'has acidity', and is common in food descriptions or reviews. Use すっぱい for casual talk, 酸味がある for more formal or objective contexts.
すっぱい only describes taste. To describe a tart personality or remark, use 辛辣な, とげのある, or きつい. Saying すっぱい人 would mean 'a sour-smelling person' or be nonsense.
This lemon is tart but delicious.
すっぱいリンゴが好きです。
I like tart apples.
Literally 'has sourness/acidity'. A more objective or descriptive way to say something is tart, often used in food reviews or cooking.
このドレッシングは酸味があってさっぱりしている。
This dressing is tart and refreshing.
An older or literary word for 'sour/tart'. Rarely used alone in modern speech, but appears in set phrases like 酸いも甘いも (the sweet and the sour of life).
酸いも甘いも噛み分けた人だ。
He's someone who has tasted the sweet and the sour of life.
Literally 'thorny'. Describes a remark or tone that is barbed, tart, or sarcastic. More colloquial than 辛辣.
彼女はとげのある言い方をした。
She made a tart remark.
Can mean 'harsh', 'sharp', or 'tart' when describing words or attitude. Very common in casual speech.
そんなきついこと言わないで。
Don't say such tart things.
いちごのタルトを焼きました。
I baked a strawberry tart.
このタルトは甘すぎなくておいしい。
This tart is not too sweet and delicious.
Often used for 'pie', but can overlap with open-faced tarts in Japanese. If the tart has a top crust or is more pie-like, パイ is common.
アップルパイは酸味がきいていておいしい。
The apple tart has a nice tangy flavor.