How to say "taste" in Japanese

• 味あじJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThe taste or flavor of food and drink itself — how something tastes. This is the everyday word for whether a dish is sweet, salty, or delicious, and the default choice for this sense.
  このチーズはピリッとした味あじがする。↗

  This cheese has a sharp taste.
• 味わうあじわうJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb: to taste food or drink, and to savor or relish it. Beyond eating, it can also describe savoring an experience, much like English 'savor' in that extended use.
• センスJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounTaste as aesthetic judgment: a person's sense of style in fashion, music, and the like, as in 'she has good taste.' It also covers a sense of humour and flair generally.
  彼かれには素晴すばらしいユーモアのセンスがある。↗

  He has a great sense of humour.
• 好みこのみJLPT N3approx.Common
  no-adjectiveTaste as personal preference: what a person likes, as in 'it's a matter of taste' or 'not to my taste.' Use this for individual likes and preferences, not for the flavor of food.
  干物ひものは私の好このみに合あわない。↗

  Dried fish is not to my taste.
• 風味ふうみCommon
  nounAlso means the taste or flavor of food and drink, close to 味. For simply saying how something tastes, 味 is the usual word; 風味 turns up mainly when describing a dish's flavor.
  にんにくは食事しょくじの風味ふうみを増ます。↗

  Garlic enhances the flavor of meals.

For the taste of food use 味 (or the verb 「味わう」 to taste or savor it); for taste as personal preference use 「好み」, for taste in fashion or music use 「センス」, and 風味 is a close synonym of 味.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 味あじflavor
• 味わうあじわうto taste
• センスtaste (in fashion, music, etc.)
• 好みこのみliking
• 風味ふうみtaste
• テイストtaste
• 風情ふぜいtaste
• 口当たりくちあたりtaste
• 嗜好しこうtaste
• 味わいあじわいflavour
• 風流ふうりゅうelegance
• 塩梅あんばいseasoning
• 飲み口のみくちtaste (of a liquid, esp. alcoholic beverages)
• たしなみtaste (in goods, etc.)
• 食味しょくみtaste
• 風致ふうちtaste
• 噛み分けるかみわけるto taste
• 含味がんみtaste
• 口にするくちにするto taste
• 口味こうみtaste
• 好尚こうしょうtaste
• 口をつけるくちをつけるto taste
• 味加減あじかげんtaste (of prepared dish)
• 味あうあじあうto taste
• 味がするあじがするto taste
• 趣致しゅちtaste
• 好き好みすきこのみliking
• 景趣けいしゅelegance
• 味覚みかく(sense of) taste
• 情操じょうそうsensibility (artistic, moral)
• 味み(sense of) taste
• 口触りくちざわり(food that meets one's) taste
• 風雅ふうがelegance
• なめるto taste
• 趣向しゅこうtaste
• 潤いうるおいrichness
• ひねりingenuity
• 聞くきくto taste (alcohol)
• 口くちtaste
• 効くきくto taste (alcohol)
• 気きfragrance
• 趣おもむきgrace
• 甘味かんみtaste