淡麗(たんれい)

たんれい
na-adjective
light and clean; light and dry (of sake)
foodappearance
1. light and clean; crisp and dry
Describes sake or other beverages that have a clean, light flavor without heaviness or strong sweetness. A key term in sake classification.
淡麗(たんれい)辛口(からくち)の日本酒(にほんしゅ)。
A light, dry sake.
この酒(さけ)は淡麗(たんれい)で飲(の)みやすい。
This sake is light and easy to drink.
新潟(にいがた)の地酒(じざけ)は淡麗(たんれい)な味(あじ)わいで知(し)られている。
Niigata's local sake is known for its light, clean flavor.
2. delicate and graceful; refined beauty
Describes something with a clean, delicate beauty. A literary usage applied to appearance, scenery, or artistic works.
淡麗(たんれい)な容姿(ようし)。
Delicate, refined looks.
淡麗(たんれい)な水彩画(すいさいが)。
A delicate watercolor painting.
彼女(かのじょ)は淡麗(たんれい)な顔立(かおだ)ちで、周囲(しゅうい)の目(め)を引(ひ)いた。
She had refined, delicate features that drew people's attention.

A compound of 淡(たん) (light, pale) and 麗(れい) (beautiful, elegant). The two characters together suggest something that is beautiful in its lightness and purity.

Usage

Sense 1 (sake) is by far the most common modern usage. Japanese sake is often classified along two axes: 淡麗(たんれい) vs. 濃醇(のうじゅん) (rich, full-bodied) and 辛口(からくち) (dry) vs. 甘口(あまくち) (sweet). 淡麗(たんれい)辛口(からくち) (light and dry) is the most popular style, especially from 新潟(にいがた) prefecture.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 端麗(たんれい) — handsome, beautiful; a homophone that focuses on well-proportioned beauty
  • 濃醇(のうじゅん) — rich and full-bodied (sake); the opposite in sake classification
  • 上品(じょうひん) — elegant, refined; a more general term for refinement

Related Words

Homophone: 端麗(たんれい) (handsome, beautiful)
Compare: 上品(じょうひん) (elegant, refined)
general
Added 2026.3.31 0:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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