(あとあじ)

あとあじ
noun
aftertaste
foodemotion
1. aftertaste (of food or drink)
The taste that lingers in the mouth after eating or drinking something.
This wine has a clean aftertaste.
(あま)すぎて後味(あとあじ)(わる)
It's too sweet and leaves a bad aftertaste.
This tea has a subtle sweetness that lingers as an aftertaste.
2. aftertaste (figurative), lingering impression
The feeling or impression that remains after an experience, event, or encounter. Often used negatively to describe an unpleasant lingering feeling.
後味(あとあじ)(わる)結末(けつまつ)だった。
It was an ending that left a bad taste.
That movie left a pleasant impression.
(うそ)をついた後味(あとあじ)(わる)(なや)まされた
I was troubled by the unpleasant feeling that lingered after telling a lie.

Usage

The expression 後味(あとあじ)(わる) (bad aftertaste) is extremely common in both literal and figurative senses. The opposite, 後味(あとあじ)いい / よい, is also used but less frequent. In the figurative sense, it describes the emotional residue of an experience — particularly disagreements, moral dilemmas, or unsatisfying outcomes.

Common collocations