1.
body odor; body smell
The natural smell of a person's body. Often used when the smell is noticeable or unpleasant, but can also refer to body scent neutrally.
体臭が気になる。
I'm worried about my body odor.
夏は体臭が強くなりやすい。
Body odor tends to get stronger in summer.
体臭を抑えるために毎日シャワーを浴びている。
I take a shower every day to keep body odor in check.
A neutral medical/scientific term for body odor, though in everyday conversation it often carries a negative nuance (implying the smell is unpleasant). Japan has a strong cultural sensitivity to body odor, and products to combat 体臭 are widely marketed.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 体臭が気になる: to be concerned about body odor
- 体臭を抑える: to control body odor
- 体臭が強い: to have strong body odor
- 体臭ケア: body odor care
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 口臭: bad breath — specifically mouth odor
- 加齢臭: aging smell — the particular body odor associated with middle-aged and older people
- 汗臭い: smelling of sweat — more casual and specific to sweat