美味しい
oishii[o̞iɕii]
To say "taste good" in Japanese, use 美味しい (oishii).
In Japanese, the adjective 美味しい can function as a complete sentence on its own to mean "It is delicious" or "It tastes good".
Which one should you use?
While 美味しい is the standard way to say something tastes good, うまい is a more casual, often masculine-coded alternative used in everyday conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say something 'tasted good' (past tense) in a polite manner, change 美味しい to 美味しかったです. To say something 'looks' delicious rather than actually tasting it, change the adjective to 美味しそう.
How do you pronounce it?
oishii
Did you know?
- The word 美味しい was once part of a specialized vocabulary known as 女房詞, or 'women's language', used primarily by ladies-in-waiting in the imperial court.
- The casual alternative うまい can actually mean 'skillful' or 'proficient' in addition to 'tasty', depending on the context of the conversation.
- In Japanese culture, it is common to say 美味しい multiple times while eating a single dish to show genuine appreciation to the cook.
Examples in context
- それ美味しい？Does that taste good?This sentence is useful for asking if something tastes good using 美味しい.Tatoeba #11571052 by small_snow, translation #3357978 by CK
- このホットケーキ美味しい。These pancakes taste good.This sentence is useful for stating that pancakes taste good using 美味しい.Tatoeba #10089386 by small_snow, translation #10089381 by CK
- 「美味しい？」「うん、美味しいよ」"Does it taste good?" "Yes, it does."This sentence is useful for a short dialogue confirming if something is delicious using 美味しい.Tatoeba #3854096 by tommy__san, translation #3859430 by CK
- この料理はとてもおいしいです。This dish is very delicious.
- このケーキはうまい！This cake is delicious!
- このラーメン、うまいっすよね。This ramen is really tasty, isn't it?
- このお寿司、めっちゃヤバい！This sushi is insanely good!
- このお好み焼き、うまえぇなぁ！This okonomiyaki is really tasty!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Ren are eating dinner together.
- 陽葵 Himariこのスープ、すごく美味しい！Kono sūpu, sugoku oishii!This soup tastes really good!
- 蓮 Renよかった。蓮の口に合ったみたいだね。Yokatta. Ren no kuchi ni atta mitai da ne.I'm glad. It seems like it suits your taste, Ren.
- 陽葵 Himariうん、本当に美味しいよ。Un, hontō ni oishii yo.Yeah, it's truly delicious.
- 蓮 Ren嬉しいな。たくさん食べてね。Ureshii na. Takusan tabete ne.I'm happy. Please eat a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 美味しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 美味しい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
