Japanese word

酸っぱい

Pronunciation

Romajisuppai

Meaning

  • i-adjectivesour

Example

このレモンは酸っぱいです。ko no re mo n wa su ppa i de su

This lemon is sour.

Illustration for 酸っぱい (sour)

More examples

このヨーグルトは酸っぱいです。ko no yō gu ru to wa su ppa i de su

This yogurt is sour.

酢を入れすぎると、料理が酸っぱくなります。su o i re su gi ru to ryō ri ga su ppa ku na ri ma su

If you add too much vinegar, the dish becomes sour.

Core concept

Describes the tangy, acidic quality of food or drink, often contrasted with sweetness.

Common phrases

  • 酸っぱい飲み物su ppa i no mi mono

    sour drink

  • 酸っぱいりんごsu ppa i ri n go

    sour apple

  • 酸っぱいソースsu ppa i sō su

    sour sauce

Similar words

酸いshii: Describes food or drink with a distinctly sour taste in literary or old-fashioned language.

Definition in Japanese

レモンや酢のような、舌を刺激する酸味のあるさま。re mo n ya su no yō na shita o shi geki su ru san mi no a ru sa ma

Word origin

The adjective 酸っぱい (suppai) comes from 酸い (sui, "sour") combined with っぽい (ppoi, "having the quality of").

Usage tips

  • In English, tart can sound milder than sour and tangy can suggest a lively sharpness, while 酸っぱい (suppai) is the ordinary Japanese adjective for the taste itself.

Other meanings

  • tarti-adjective
  • tangyi-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 酸っぱさsuppasasournessnoun
  • 酸っぱみsuppamisour tastenoun

Word lists with this word