ichidan verb, transitive verb
give off a smell; smell of; perfume
Literal sense: to emit a scent, whether pleasant or unpleasant. 臭わせる is used only for bad smells.
彼女は香水をほのかに匂わせていた。
She was faintly giving off the scent of perfume.
部屋に花の香
I perfume the room with the scent of flowers.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
Figurative sense: to subtly imply or give a hint of something, often used in social media contexts like 匂わせ投稿 (a post that hints at a relationship or event without stating it directly).
彼はSNSで交際を匂わせる投稿をした。
He made a post on social media hinting at a relationship.
その発言は不満を匂わせていた。
The remark hinted at dissatisfaction.