甘(あま)い

あまい

adjective (i-adjective)

sweet

1. sweet (taste)

Describes a sweet taste in food or drinks.

このケーキは甘(あま)いです。

This cake is sweet.

甘(あま)いものが好(す)きです。

I like sweet things.

甘(あま)い飲(の)み物(もの)はいかがですか？

Would you like a sweet drink?

このりんごはとても甘(あま)くておいしいですね。

This apple is very sweet and delicious.

日本(にほん)の果物(くだもの)は甘(あま)くて高(たか)いですが、外国(がいこく)の友達(ともだち)にあげるととても喜(よろこ)ばれます。

Japanese fruit is sweet and expensive, but my foreign friends are very happy when I give it to them.

2. lenient, naive, optimistic

Figuratively means being too easy on someone, having naive expectations, or being overly optimistic.

考(かんが)えが甘(あま)い。

Your thinking is naive.

親(おや)が子供(こども)に甘(あま)いです。

The parents are lenient with their children.

自分(じぶん)に甘(あま)いのはよくないです。

It's not good to be easy on yourself.

そんな甘(あま)い話(はなし)はありません。

There's no such easy deal.

彼(かれ)の計画(けいかく)は甘(あま)すぎて、うまくいくとは思(おも)えないので、もっと考(かんが)え直(なお)した方(ほう)がいいです。

His plan is too naive and I don't think it will work, so he should reconsider it.

甘(あま)い is an i-adjective with both literal (sweet taste) and figurative (lenient, naive) meanings.

FORMS:

Adverbial: 甘(あま)く
Negative: 甘(あま)くない
Past: 甘(あま)かった
Noun form: 甘(あま)さ (sweetness)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

甘(あま)いもの: sweets, desserts
甘(あま)い物(もの)好(ず)き: someone with a sweet tooth
甘(あま)口(くち): sweet (taste), as opposed to 辛口(からくち) (dry/spicy)

FIGURATIVE USES:

考(かんが)えが甘(あま)い: naive thinking
自分(じぶん)に甘(あま)い: easy on oneself
子供(こども)に甘(あま)い: lenient with children
甘(あま)い話(はなし): too-good-to-be-true deal

OPPOSITE: 厳(きび)しい (strict), 辛(から)い (spicy, harsh)

basic

Added 2026.1.7 21:29 · Revised 2026.2.12 13:27

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