1.
sweet dew; nectar; ambrosia
Originally a Buddhist and Chinese concept of sweet dew that falls from heaven as a divine blessing. Used figuratively for anything deliciously sweet or deeply satisfying.
甘露のような蜜だ。
It's honey like nectar from heaven.
仏教では甘露は不死の飲み物とされている。
In Buddhism, sweet dew is considered the drink of immortality.
彼の言葉は甘露のように心に染みた。
His words soaked into my heart like sweet nectar.
2.
delicious; exquisite; heavenly (of taste)
Used as an exclamation or description when something tastes wonderfully sweet or satisfying, especially a drink on a hot day.
暑い日に飲む水は甘露だ。
Water on a hot day tastes like heaven.
運動の後のビールは甘露、甘露。
Beer after exercise — absolutely divine.
山頂で飲んだ一杯のお茶は、まさに甘露と言うほかなかった。
The cup of tea I drank at the summit could only be described as nectar of the gods.
From the Buddhist/Chinese concept of 甘露 (Sanskrit: amṛta), a divine dew bestowed by the heavens as a sign of good governance or spiritual blessing. In modern usage, the word is most often heard as an exclamation when drinking something deeply satisfying — especially cold water or beer on a hot day. Repeating it (甘露、甘露) is a classic expression of blissful satisfaction.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 甘露のような: nectar-like, heavenly
- 甘露、甘露: how divine! (exclamation of satisfaction)
- 甘露煮: simmered in sweet syrup (cooking term)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 蜜: honey, nectar — literal sweetness, not metaphysical
- 美味: delicious taste — focuses on flavor quality
- 至福: supreme bliss — the feeling, without the taste connotation