1.
aftertaste (of food or drink)
The taste that lingers in the mouth after eating or drinking something.
このワインは後味がすっきりしている。
This wine has a clean aftertaste.
甘すぎて後味が悪い。
It's too sweet and leaves a bad aftertaste.
この紅茶は後味にほのかな甘みが残る。
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.
後味の悪い結末だった。
It was an ending that left a bad taste.
あの映画は後味がよかった。
That movie left a pleasant impression.
嘘をついた後味の悪さに悩まされた。
I was troubled by the unpleasant feeling that lingered after telling a lie.
USAGE:
The expression 後味が悪い (bad aftertaste) is extremely common in both literal and figurative senses. The opposite, 後味がいい / がよい, 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:
- 後味が悪い: leaves a bad aftertaste/impression
- 後味がいい: leaves a pleasant impression
- 後味がすっきりする: has a clean aftertaste