Japanese word

辛口

Pronunciation

Romajikarakuchi

Meaning

  • noundry

Example

この酒は辛口です。ko no sake wa kara kuchi de su

This sake is dry.

Illustration for 辛口 (dry)

More examples

食事には辛口のワインを選ぶことが多いです。shoku ji ni wa kara kuchi no wa i n o era bu ko to ga ō i de su

I often choose dry wine with meals.

Core concept

It marks a quality that feels sharp rather than soft, applying to both a drink with little sweetness and speech that is direct and severe.

Common phrases

  • 辛口のワインkara kuchi no wa i n

    dry wine

Similar words

ドライdorai: A term for an alcoholic drink that has little sweetness and a clean taste.

Definition in Japanese

酒の甘みが少なく、後味がすっきりしていること。sake no ama mi ga suku na ku ato aji ga su kki ri shi te i ru ko to

Word origin

辛口 (karakuchi, "dry style") is formed from 辛 (kara, "spicy") and 口 (kuchi, "mouth"), expressing the idea of a sharp taste that is not rich in sweetness.

Usage tips

  • English uses dry for wine, cider, and other drinks as well as sake, making it a shared label for beverages with little sweetness.

Other meanings

  • spicynoun
  • sharp-tonguednoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word