香ばしい
こうばしい
i-adjective
fragrant; savory; nicely roasted
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 香ばしい | 香ばしくない |
| Past | 香ばしかった | 香ばしくなかった |
| て form | 香ばしくて | 香ばしくなくて |
| Adverbial | 香ばしく | — |
| Conditional ば | 香ばしければ | 香ばしくなければ |
| Conditional たら | 香ばしかったら | 香ばしくなかったら |
1.
fragrant; aromatic; savory (of roasted/toasted foods)
Having a pleasant aroma from roasting, toasting, or grilling. Describes the appealing smell of browned, toasted, or caramelized foods.
- 香ばしい → 香ばしくない (negative)
- 香ばしい → 香ばしく (adverbial form)
- 香ばしい → 香ばしかった (past)
Usage
Describes the pleasant, appetizing smell of foods that have been toasted, roasted, or grilled. The aroma comes from the Maillard reaction (browning).
香ばしい specifically refers to the savory, roasted aroma—not sweet fragrances (use 甘い香り) or flowery scents (use いい香り or 芳しい).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS (foods so described):
Similar words
- 芳しい is literary and covers pleasant scents in general; 香ばしい is everyday and specific to roasting.