Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
生臭い (なまぐさい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation 生臭い · i-adjective
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 生なま 臭ぐさ い 生なま 臭ぐさ くない Polite 生なま 臭ぐさ いです 生なま 臭ぐさ くないです also 生なま 臭ぐさ くありません Past polite 生なま 臭ぐさ かったです 生なま 臭ぐさ くなかったです also 生なま 臭ぐさ くありませんでした Past 生なま 臭ぐさ かった 生なま 臭ぐさ くなかった Te-form 生なま 臭ぐさ くて 生なま 臭ぐさ くなくて Adverbial 生なま 臭ぐさ く Conditional 生なま 臭ぐさ ければ 生なま 臭ぐさ くなければ Tara conditional 生なま 臭ぐさ かったら 生なま 臭ぐさ くなかったら
Meanings Jump to a sense… 1. smelling of fish; smelling of blood; fishy; bloody 2. depraved; corrupt; fallen 3. worldly; mundane; secular; common 4. suspicious; questionable; fishy Report an issue with this page
後あと
、
手て
が
生なま
臭ぐさ
い
。
After cleaning the fish, my hands smell fishy.
A bloody, raw smell came from the bloodstained bandage.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 の 手て が 生なま 臭ぐさ い someone's hands smell of fish or blood
My hands smell fishy because I cut up a fish.
〈 人ひと 〉 の 話はなし が 生なま 臭ぐさ い someone's talk is tainted by money or worldly interests
I'm sick of the politicians' talk full of money and self-interest.
〈 事こと 〉 が 生なま 臭ぐさ い something feels fishy or suspicious, hinting at hidden corruption
That deal feels a bit fishy.
〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 が 生なま 臭ぐさ い a place smells fishy or bloody
Inside the fish market it smells strongly of fish.
Kanji 臭 stinking, ill-smelling, suspicious looking 腥 bloody, smelling of fish, raw smelling Related words 血生臭い emphasizes the smell or aftermath of bloodshed and violence, while 生臭い covers a broader range of raw smells (fish, blood) as well as figurative corruption.
胡散臭い is the everyday word for something suspicious or shady, whereas 生臭い adds a nuance of moral taint tied to money, desire, or corruption.
俗っぽい simply means vulgar or unrefined, while 生臭い is stronger and can imply worldly desire or corruption, especially in a religious context.
Word family fishy or bloody smell; something that smells of fish or blood · meat and fish; animal flesh · degenerate monk; corrupt priest
meat and fish (forbidden to monks)
degenerate monk; corrupt priest
Written forms 生なま 臭ぐさ い Usage 70%
Standard common spelling for both the literal smell and the figurative uses.
なまぐさい Usage 18%
生なま ぐさい Usage 7%
search-only kanji form
Attested search-only mixed spelling; not recommended as a normal written form.
腥なまぐさ い Usage
Etymology Transparently related to 生 meaning raw or fresh and 臭い meaning smelly. The literal sense is a raw fish, meat, or blood smell; the figurative senses extend to moral worldliness, corruption, and suspiciousness.
6%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling listed; 生臭い is the normal spelling for learners.