noun
grilled miso with chili peppers
A spicy condiment made by grilling miso mixed with chili peppers; a type of 焼き味噌.
See also: 焼き味噌
鬼みそを少しだけご飯にのせて食べると、とてもおいしい。
Putting a little grilled miso with chili peppers on rice and eating it is very delicious.
noun
person who acts tough but is actually timid
Slang term for someone who puts on a brave front but is easily scared; compare よわみそ.
See also: よわみそ
彼は強そうに見えるけど、実は鬼みそだから、すぐに怖がる。
He looks tough, but he's actually a scaredy-cat, so he gets scared easily.
よわみそ means a weakling or coward; 鬼みそ is a similar slang term but emphasizes the contrast between a tough facade and inner timidity.
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling; the kanji 鬼 suggests 'demon' or 'fierce'.
Full kanji spelling; less common but still seen.
From 鬼 (oni, 'demon') + みそ (miso). The food sense likely comes from the fiery spiciness resembling a demon's fierceness. The slang sense extends the idea of a fierce exterior hiding a mild interior.