甘味(かんみ)

かんみ
noun
sweetness; sweet, dessert
food
1. sweetness, sweet taste
The quality of being sweet in taste. Used especially in food and cooking contexts when discussing the sweet element of a flavor profile.
このトマトは甘味(かんみ)が強(つよ)い。
This tomato has a strong sweetness.
Adding a little salt brings out the sweetness.
甘味(かんみ)料(りょう)を使(つか)わずに果物(くだもの)の自然(しぜん)な甘味(かんみ)だけで仕上(しあ)げたジャムです。
This is a jam finished using only the natural sweetness of the fruit, without any sweeteners.
2. sweet, dessert, confection
A sweet food item, especially traditional Japanese sweets and desserts. Used as a general term for sweets in food culture contexts.
食後(しょくご)に甘味(かんみ)はいかがですか。
Would you like a dessert after your meal?
この甘味(かんみ)処(どころ)は抹茶(まっちゃ)パフェが人気(にんき)だ。
This sweets shop is popular for its matcha parfait.
Kyoto has many long-established sweets shops, which have become popular spots for tourists.

Pronunciation

The same kanji 甘味(あまみ) can also be read あまみ, which means sweetness as a taste quality. The reading かんみ covers both the taste quality (sense 1) and the food item (sense 2), while あまみ is limited to the taste quality only.

Common collocations

  • 甘味(かんみ)が強(つよ)い (strong sweetness)
  • 甘味(かんみ)料(りょう) (sweetener)
  • 甘味(かんみ)処(どころ) (Japanese sweets shop)
  • 甘味(かんみ)を楽(たの)しむ (enjoy sweets)

Similar words

  • 甘(あま)さ: sweetness (general, can be abstract — sweetness of life, etc.)
  • お菓子(かし): snacks, sweets (broader category including Western and Japanese sweets)
  • 和菓子(わがし): Japanese sweets (specifically traditional Japanese confections)