How to say "liking" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 好きすきna-adjective, nounThe basic word for liking something or someone, or for finding something to your taste. Used in everyday statements of fondness, as in liking food, music, or a person.
- 好みこのみno-adjectiveCovers liking as a matter of personal preference or fancy — what one happens to prefer among options. Typical when discussing choices in food, design, or style: whether something suits one's liking.
- 嗜好しこうnoun, suru verb, transitive verbA more formal word for taste or preference, suggesting cultivated or considered liking rather than casual fondness. Best for refined tastes, such as in drink, food, or the arts; rarely the word for simply liking someone.
- 趣味しゅみnounPrimarily means one's tastes or preferences in the broad sense, and is also the usual word for hobbies and pastimes. Use it when talking about what kind of things a person likes or is interested in.
- nounA loanword covering taste and liking in the sense of aesthetic or stylistic sensibility, as in clothing, design, or art. It is marginal for liking in general and is really about taste, not fondness.
Choose 「好き」 for liking something or someone, 「好み」 for personal preference in things, 趣味 for tastes and hobbies, and 嗜好 for refined or cultivated tastes; 「テイスト」 is a loanword for stylistic taste.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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