匂におわす

に

お

わ

す

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

give off a smell; smell of; perfume

Used for emitting a scent, whether pleasant or unpleasant. 臭わす is restricted to bad smells.

花はなが甘あまい香かおりを匂におわせている。
The flowers are giving off a sweet fragrance.
彼かれは酒さけの匂においを匂

にお

わ

せ

て

帰かえ

っ

て

き

た

。

He came home smelling of alcohol.

2

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

hint at; suggest; insinuate

Figurative use: to subtly convey an idea, feeling, or intention without stating it directly.

彼かれは不ふ満まんを匂におわせるような言いい方かたをした。
He spoke in a way that hinted at his dissatisfaction.
その記き事じは汚お職しょくの可か能のう性せいを匂におわせている。
The article suggests the possibility of corruption.

Written forms

匂におわすUsage74%
Standard kanji spelling for giving off a scent or hinting at something; neutral to positive nuance.
におわすUsage23%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the figurative sense.
臭におわすUsage3%
Used specifically for unpleasant smells; this spelling is restricted to this use.

Kanji

匂fragrant, stink, glow
臭stinking, ill-smelling, suspicious looking

Similar words

匂におう
Intransitive: 'to smell, be fragrant'. 匂わす is the transitive counterpart meaning 'to cause to smell' or 'to give off a scent'.
臭におう
Intransitive for unpleasant smells. 臭わす is its transitive form, restricted to bad odors.
ほのめかす
Also means 'to hint at', but 匂わす is more indirect and often used for subtle, unspoken implications.

Etymology

Transitive form of 匂う (to smell), derived by adding the causative/transitive suffix ～す. The figurative sense developed from the idea of 'giving off a hint' like a faint scent.