Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 面白い | omoshiroi | [o̞mo̞ɕiɾo̞i] (narrow) |
| 興味深い | kyōmibukai | [kʲo̞ːmʲibɯ̟ka̠i] (narrow) [kʲo̞ːmʲiɸɯ̟ka̠i] (narrow) |
面白い is a common and versatile word used to describe things that arouse or hold one's attention. It can describe an object or situation as being engaging or entertaining, and it can also be used to describe a person's character, such as being funny or witty.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 興味深い is composed of 興味 (interest) and 深い (deep), literally meaning 'deeply interesting'.
Which one should you use?
While 面白い is a general-purpose term, 興味深い is a more formal and academic way to express that something is interesting. It is typically used when discussing specific topics, research or profound observations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, the variation おもろい is widely used instead of 面白い.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something 'was interesting' in the past tense, the adjective 面白い changes to 面白かった.
How do you pronounce it?
omoshiroi
Did you know?
- The word 面白い is a linguistic oddity that literally translates to 'white face'.
- Historically, 面白い described the bright and clear feeling of a face being illuminated by the sun or moonlight.
- If a Japanese speaker says 面白い in response to a strange or suspicious situation, they may actually mean it is 'absurd' or 'bizarre'.
Examples in context
- 結構面白い。It's pretty interesting.This sentence shows how to say something is 'pretty interesting' using 面白い.Tatoeba #175785 by small_snow, translation #6961122 by CK
- 面白い人ね。She's an interesting person.This sentence demonstrates using 面白い to describe an interesting person.Tatoeba #11603871 by small_snow, translation #12172003 by sundown
- それは面白い。That's interesting.This sentence shows a simple way to say 'that's interesting' using 面白い.Tatoeba #4799 by bunbuku, translation #1897793 by CK
- この本はとてもおもしろいですね。This book is very interesting, isn't it?
- その話は興味深くて、長く話し続けたくなります。The story is so interesting that I want to keep talking about it for a long time.
- 彼の作品には独特の面白味のある視点があります。His works have a unique and interesting perspective.
- その映画おもろかったよ！That movie was interesting!
- あの本、面白いっちゃ面白いんだけど、ちょっと長すぎるかも。That book is definitely interesting, but it might be a little too long.
- 187 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking about a movie they just watched.
- 美咲 Misakiその映画、面白かった？Sono eiga, omoshirokatta?Was that movie interesting?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、すごく面白かったよ。Un, sugoku omoshirokatta yo.Yeah, it was very interesting.
- 美咲 Misaki結末が面白いところだったね。Ketsumatsu ga omoshiroi tokoro datta ne.The ending was the interesting part, wasn't it?
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね。驚いたよ。Sou dane. Odorokita yo.That's true. I was surprised.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “interesting” translations and entries 面白い, 興味深い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 興味深い, 面白い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
