美味しい
oishii[o̞iɕii]
The English phrase 'yummy' can be translated into Japanese as 美味しい (oishii) or うまい.
Meaning: delicious (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 美味しい | oishii | [o̞iɕii] (narrow) |
| うまい | umai | [ɯ̟ma̠i] (narrow) |
Which one should you use?
美味しい is the standard, polite way to say something is delicious and is suitable for most social situations, whereas うまい is an informal term. うまい is a more casual, often masculine-coded way to say something is delicious, frequently used among friends or in a rougher manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that a meal was delicious in the past tense politely, use 美味しかったです. The negative form of the adjective 美味しい is 美味しくない, meaning 'not delicious'.
How do you pronounce it?
oishii
Did you know?
- Depending on the linguistic theory, うまい could be cognate with the verb 膿む (umu), which means 'to fester' or 'to produce pus'.
- While うまい usually means 'delicious', it is also used to describe someone who is skilled or 'good' at a particular activity or craft.
- The term 美味しい evolved from nyōbo kotoba, which was a specialized form of 'women's language' used by court ladies in ancient Japan.
Examples in context
- 本当に美味しい。It tastes really yummy.This sentence shows how to emphasize that something is really yummy using 美味しい.Tatoeba #8635928 by small_snow, translation #4502546 by CK
- 果物って、美味しい。The fruit is yummy.This sentence is useful for stating that fruit is yummy using 美味しい.Tatoeba #12975742 by small_snow, translation #12807496 by rul
- ママがね、美味しい朝ご飯を作ったよ！My mom made some yummy breakfast.This sentence demonstrates using 美味しい to describe a yummy breakfast made by a mother.Tatoeba #9479536 by small_snow, translation #9479539 by DJ_Saidez
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are eating cake at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiこのケーキ、すごく美味しいね！Kono kēki, sugoku oishii ne!This cake is really delicious, isn't it!
- 蓮 Ren本当だ。とても美味しいよ。Hontō da. Totemo oishii yo.You're right. It's very yummy.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くんも一口食べる？Ren-kun mo hitokuchi taberu?Ren, do you want a bite too?
- 蓮 Renうん、ありがとう。Un, arigatō.Yeah, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yummy” translations and entries 美味しい, うまい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries うまい, 美味しい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
