甘あまみ

あ

ま

み

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Refers to the taste, quality, or degree of sweetness in food and drink. 甘み is the safest everyday spelling for this sense.

この梨なしは甘あまみが強つよい。
This pear has a strong sweetness.
玉たまねぎをよく炒いためると甘あまみが出でる。
If you sauté the onions well, their sweetness comes out.

noun

sweets; dessert; cake

Only when written 甘味 · Only with reading あまみ

A less straightforward use of あまみ for sweet foods or dessert; it is especially associated with the spelling 甘味, which can also be read かんみ in related modern usage.

「甘あま味み」を「あまみ」と読よむ場ば合あい、甘あまい菓か子しやデザートを指さすことがある。
When 甘味 is read as あまみ, it can refer to sweet confections or dessert.

See all 80 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉に甘あまみがあるfor X to have a sweet taste
このトマトには自し然ぜんな甘あまみがある。
This tomato has a natural sweetness.
甘あまみが増ますfor the sweetness to increase
冷ひやすとこの果物くだものは甘あまみが増ます。
This fruit becomes sweeter when chilled.
甘あまみを感かんじるto taste/sense sweetness
このお茶ちゃにはかすかな甘あまみを感かんじる。
I can sense a faint sweetness in this tea.

Kanji

甘sweet, coax, pamper
味flavor, taste

Opposites

苦にが味みN2sense 1
甘み is a sweet taste, while 苦味 is a bitter taste—the two are opposite ends of the flavor spectrum.
塩しお味あじ
塩味 is a salty taste while 甘味 is a sweet taste, the two basic flavors most often contrasted in cooking.
辛から味みN2
辛味 describes a pungent, spicy taste quality, while 甘味 describes sweetness, the opposite taste sensation.

Don't confuse with

甘かん味み
甘味 written with the same kanji as 甘み is usually read かんみ in formal or culinary contexts, so learners must judge the reading from context rather than assume あまみ.

Written forms

甘あまみUsage51%
Common modern spelling for the taste or quality of sweetness, formed with the kana suffix み.
甘あま味みUsage48%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Attested kanji spelling marked as ateji for the reading あまみ; the same spelling may be read differently in other words, so context matters.
あまみUsage1%
あま味みUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed spelling; not recommended as a normal display spelling.

Etymology

甘み is transparently formed from 甘い, 'sweet,' plus the nominalizing suffix み, which makes a noun meaning a quality or feeling. 甘味 for the reading あまみ is ateji.