Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

スパイス (すぱいす, supaisu) Japanese meaning: spice | Kotomora

スパイス

す

ぱ

い

す

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

Common loanword for spices used in cooking, similar to 香辛料 but more casual and everyday.

See also: 香辛料

カレーにはたくさんのスパイスが使つかわれている。

Many spices are used in curry.

この料りょう理りはスパイスが効きいていて美味おいしい。

This dish is delicious with its well-balanced spices.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉にスパイスを効きかせるto give a dish a spicy kick
このカレーはスパイスを効きかせてある。
This curry has a good spicy kick to it.
スパイスを加くわえるto add spice (to a dish)
スープにスパイスを加くわえて味あじを引ひき立たてた。
I added spice to the soup to bring out the flavor.
スパイスが効きいているthe spice is noticeably strong/flavorful
この料りょう理りはスパイスが効きいていて食しょく欲よくをそそる。
This dish has a strong spice flavor that whets the appetite.

Related words

香こう辛しん料りょうN1
香辛料 is the formal, technical term for spices used in ingredient lists, while スパイス is the everyday loanword people use in casual cooking talk.
香こう料りょう
スパイス is the everyday loanword for cooking spices, while 香料 is a broader term that also covers synthetic flavorings.
薬やく味み
スパイス is a general loanword for spice often used in Western or curry cooking, whereas 薬味 is specific to traditional Japanese garnishes.
シーズニング
スパイス refers to individual spices like pepper or cumin, whereas シーズニング typically means a ready-made blend of several seasonings.

Don't confuse with

ハーブ
スパイス refers to seeds, bark, or roots used for pungent flavor, while ハーブ refers to leafy herbs used for aroma, so learners sometimes mix up which foods they describe.
スパイク
スパイク (spike/cleat) and スパイス (spice) sound similar to beginners but refer to completely unrelated things.

Word family

オールスパイス
allspice
シードスパイス
seed spice
ハーブスパイス
herb spice
スパイスコーナー
spice section; spice aisle

Etymology

Loanword from English 'spice'.