Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 旨味 | umami | [ɯ̟ma̠mʲi] (narrow) |
| 塩辛い | shiokarai | [ɕio̞ka̠ɾa̠i] (narrow) |
旨味 is a noun used to describe the savory essence or the pleasant, meaty depth of flavor found in foods such as meat, seaweed or mushrooms. This refers specifically to what is often called the 'fifth taste'.
Which one should you use?
While the English word 'savory' can sometimes mean salty, Japanese distinguishes between different types of taste. Use 旨味 to refer to a positive, savory richness or the 'fifth taste'. In contrast, use 塩辛い when you mean 'salty' in a literal or often negative sense, such as when a dish has too much salt. Additionally, the informal term うまい can be used to describe something as tasty, delicious or savory and the phrase 旨味たっぷり is used informally to emphasize that a dish is full of umami.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
umami
Did you know?
- In the word 塩辛い (salty), the character for 'spicy' (辛) is used because Japanese historically grouped 'harsh' or 'stinging' flavors like salt and chili under the same root.
- The word umami (旨味) is used globally by scientists and chefs, as it was adopted directly into English to name the 'fifth taste' after being identified by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda in 1908.
- The character for 'tasty' in 旨味, 旨, is also used in older texts to describe 'core' or 'essence', reflecting how the savory taste is seen as the heart of a dish.
Examples in context
- この肉料理は風味豊かで、口の中で広がる味わいがあります。This meat dish is savory, with a taste that spreads in your mouth.
- このカレーライスは旨味たっぷりで、ご飯との相性が抜群です。This curry rice is full of savory taste and goes extremely well with rice.
- このスープは旨味が強い。Kono suupu wa umami ga tsuyoi.This soup has a strong savory flavor.
- 素材の旨味を活かした料理。Sozai no umami o ikashita ryouri.A dish that brings out the savory flavor of the ingredients.
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are eating dinner together.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔、この料理はどう？Hiroto, kono ryōri wa dō?Hiroto, how is this dish?
- 大翔 Hirotoすごく旨味があって美味しいよ。Sugoku umami ga atte oishii yo.It's very savory and delicious.
- 美咲 Misakiよかった。出汁をたくさん使ったの。Yokatta. Dashi o takusan tsukatta no.I'm glad. I used a lot of broth.
- 大翔 Hirotoだからこんなに深い味なんだね。Dakara konna ni fukai aji nan da ne.That's why it has such a deep taste.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “savory” translations and entries 旨味, 塩辛い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
