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Kotomora

味

flavor, taste

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 500Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ミ

Kun'yomi

  • あじ
  • あじ.わう

Meaning

味 centers on the sensory experience of flavor and taste, whether literal or figurative. It covers the quality that makes something delicious or distinctive.

Most common words using 味

24 of 408
  • 意味いみ
    N5

    meaning; significance; sense

  • 興味きょうみ
    N4

    interest (in something); curiosity (about something); zest (for)

  • 味あじ
    N4

    flavor; flavour; taste

  • 美味しいおいしい
    N5

    good(-tasting); nice; delicious; tasty

  • 趣味しゅみ
    N5

    hobby; pastime

  • 味方みかた
    N3

    friend; ally; supporter

  • 不味いまずい
    N4

    bad(-tasting); unpalatable; unsavoury; unsavory; awful; terrible; unpleasant

  • 地味じみ
    N3

    plain; simple; subdued; sober

  • 気味きみ
    N3

    sensation; feeling

  • 気味ぎみ
    N2

    -like; -looking; -looked; tending to ...

  • 興味深いきょうみぶかい
    N2

    very interesting; of great interest

  • 味噌みそ
    N4

    miso; fermented condiment usu. made from soybeans

  • 味わうあじわう
    N3

    to taste; to savor; to savour; to relish

  • 風味ふうみ

    taste; flavor; flavour

  • 不気味ぶきみ
    N2

    weird; eerie; ominous; creepy; uncanny; unearthly

  • 味わいあじわい
    N1

    flavour; flavor; taste

  • 味噌汁みそしる
    N1

    miso soup

  • 味付けあじつけ
    N2

    seasoning; flavour; flavor

  • 意味合いいみあい

    implication; nuance; shade of meaning; connotation

  • 甘味あまみ
    N2

    sweetness; sugary taste

  • 味覚みかく
    N1

    (sense of) taste; palate

  • 酸味さんみ

    sourness; acidity

  • 吟味ぎんみ
    N1

    close examination; careful investigation; close inspection; careful selection; inquiry; enquiry; scrutiny; testing

  • 興味津々きょうみしんしん

    very interesting; of absorbing interest; having a keen interest (in); being immensely curious (about)

Explore all words using 味 →

Study

Etymology

味 combines 口 (mouth) with 未, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest something not yet fully experienced, relating to savoring flavor.

Meaning mnemonic

A mouth 口 next to 未, which looks like a tree with extra branches, can be remembered as a mouth tasting the not-yet-ripe fruit to check its flavor.

Reading mnemonic

For ミ, imagine tasting a flavor so good it makes you say 'me!' because you want it all for yourself: me -> ミ.