甘辛い
あまからい
adjective-i
sweet and salty; sweet-and-savory
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 甘辛い | 甘辛くない |
| Past | 甘辛かった | 甘辛くなかった |
| て form | 甘辛くて | 甘辛くなくて |
| Adverbial | 甘辛く | — |
| Conditional ば | 甘辛ければ | 甘辛くなければ |
| Conditional たら | 甘辛かったら | 甘辛くなかったら |
1.
sweet and salty; sweet-and-savory
A characteristic Japanese flavor profile combining sweetness (often from sugar or mirin) with the savory saltiness of soy sauce. Typical of teriyaki, simmered dishes, and many sauces — not "sweet and spicy" despite the literal kanji.
この味は甘辛い。
This has a sweet-and-savory flavor.
甘辛いタレを肉にかけた。
I poured the sweet-and-savory sauce over the meat.
甘辛い味付けは白ご飯との相性が抜群だ。
A sweet-and-savory seasoning goes exceptionally well with plain rice.
Despite containing 辛い (spicy/salty), this word almost always refers to the soy-sauce-and-sugar flavor of Japanese home cooking, not chili heat. Think teriyaki, sukiyaki broth, or simmered fish.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 甘辛いタレ: sweet-and-savory sauce
- 甘辛い味付け: sweet-and-savory seasoning
- 甘辛い煮物: sweet-and-savory simmered dish
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 甘辛: the noun form, used in compounds like 甘辛煮 (sweet-savory simmered dish)
- 甘酸っぱい: sweet and sour — fruity tartness; very different flavor
- 辛い: salty; spicy — covers both "hot" and "salty" in Japanese, but context usually makes it clear