(しょっかん)

しょっかん
noun
texture (of food); mouthfeel
1. texture of food; mouthfeel; how food feels when eating
The tactile sensations experienced when eating food, including crunchiness, chewiness, smoothness, etc.
このクッキーは食感(しょっかん)がサクサクしている。
These cookies have a crispy texture.
食感(しょっかん)(たの)しむために(なま)()べる。
I eat it raw to enjoy the texture.
もちもちした食感(しょっかん)特徴(とくちょう)です。
Its characteristic is the chewy, springy texture.
(てん)ぷらはサクサクの食感(しょっかん)(いのち)だから、()げたてを()べるのが一番(いちばん)だ。
Crispy texture is everything for tempura, so eating it freshly fried is best.
この料理(りょうり)野菜(やさい)のシャキシャキした食感(しょっかん)(にく)(やわ)らかさのバランスが絶妙(ぜつみょう)だ。
This dish has a perfect balance between the crisp crunch of the vegetables and the tenderness of the meat.

食感(しょっかん) combines (しょく) (eating) and (かん) (sensation): how food feels in the mouth, as distinct from how it tastes. Japanese food writing treats texture as a dimension of quality in its own right, so the word is everywhere in reviews, packaging, and cooking programs.

COMMON TEXTURE WORDS:

  • サクサク (crispy, crunchy — dry foods)
  • カリカリ (crunchy, crisp — fried foods)
  • もちもち (chewy, springy — rice, mochi)
  • ふわふわ (fluffy, soft — bread, cakes)
  • とろとろ (melty, creamy)
  • しっとり (moist)
  • プリプリ (bouncy, firm — shrimp, seafood)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 舌触(したざわ): how food feels specifically on the tongue
  • 歯応(はごた): resistance when biting, one component of 食感(しょっかん)
  • 食感(しょっかん) is the general term covering all of these mouthfeel sensations