えぐみ

えぐみ
noun
harsh bitterness; astringency; acrid taste
fooddescriptive
1. harsh bitterness; astringency; acrid taste
An unpleasant bitter or sharp taste, often associated with raw vegetables like bamboo shoots, spinach, or eggplant. Removed by blanching, soaking, or other preparation.
This spinach has a strong acrid taste.
()でることえぐみ()ける
The astringency goes away when you boil it.
(わか)いタケノコえぐみ(すく)なくて()べやすい
Young bamboo shoots have less astringency and are easier to eat.

The noun form of the adjective えぐい (acrid, harsh). Refers to a specific unpleasant taste caused by oxalic acid, alkaloids, or similar compounds in raw plant matter.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • (にが)み: bitterness — broader; includes pleasant bitterness like in coffee
  • (しぶ): astringent flavor — the pucker-inducing taste of strong tea, persimmons
  • アク: scum, harshness — overlaps with えぐみ; refers to both the foam from boiling and the underlying harsh taste