うまい・上手い・美味い・旨い・巧い・甘い・美いumai[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
上手い上手い is the most common of the listed kanji-and-kana variants. It gives うまい a visibly kanji-based appearance in writing, although the word is usually written in kana alone.
美味い美味い is the second most common of the listed kanji-and-kana variants. Its kanji-based appearance may be encountered in written Japanese, while うまい is usually written in kana alone.
旨い旨い is the third most common listed variant. For beginners, choose 旨い when selecting a kanji-and-kana spelling; うまい itself is usually written in kana alone.
巧い巧い is less common than 上手い, 美味い, and 旨い. It is a kanji-and-kana written variant, while the word is usually written in kana alone.
甘い甘い is less common than the four variants preceding it. It gives うまい a kanji-and-kana appearance in writing, although the word is usually written in kana alone.
美い美い is rarely used and is the least common listed variant. Learners should avoid choosing it; うまい is usually written in kana alone, and 旨い is the recommended kanji-and-kana choice.
Definitions
- i-adjectiveskillful; skilful; skilled; good; expert; clever (expression, trick, etc.); apt; appropriateesp. 上手い, 巧い
- i-adjectivedelicious; tasty; good; niceesp. 旨い, 美味い, 甘い
- i-adjectivegood (deal, idea, etc.); profitable; promising; lucky; fortunate; successful; satisfactory; splendidesp. 旨い
Conjugation
| Plain form | うまい |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | うまいです |
| Negative (kunai) | うまくない |
| polite (ku arimasen) | うまくありません |
| Past (katta) | うまかった |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | うまくなかった |
| Te form (kute) | うまくて |
| Adverbial (ku) | うまく |
| Conditional (kereba) | うまければ |
| kattara | うまかったら |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym巧みたくみNeutralSkillful technique or clever handling, as in 「巧みな話術」; more formal than 「うまい」 and never used for taste.
- Synonym上手じょうずNeutralGood at something, as in 「料理が上手」. 「うまい」 is more colloquial and can also mean tasty, which 「上手」 cannot.
- Synonym巧妙こうみょうWrittenIngenious in design or method, as in 「巧妙な設計」; also fits negative cases like 「巧妙な手口」. Written/formal in tone.
- Synonym腕利きうでききNeutralA proven expert with solid skills, as in 「腕利きの職人」; mostly used of people. 「うまい」 rates the skill itself and can also describe taste.
- Synonym熟練したじゅくれんしたWrittenSkilled through long practice, as in 「熟練した技術」; written/formal, stressing accumulated experience. 「うまい」 is a colloquial evaluation.
- Synonym腕っこきうでっこきCasualA colloquial word for a capable, able person, as in 「腕っこきの刑事」; mostly used of people. 「うまい」 describes the skill itself.
- Synonym得手えてWrittenOne's forte or strong field, as in 「得手不得手」; a noun-based expression. 「うまい」 describes doing something well.
- Related老練ろうれんWrittenExperienced and adept at handling things, as in 「老練な政治家」; often praises a seasoned person's skill. 「うまい」 does not stress seniority.
- Related堪能たんのうWrittenProficient in a language or art, as in 「英語に堪能」; also covers patience and perseverance. 「うまい」 is colloquial and not limited to any field.
- Related見事みごとNeutralDone so well it draws admiration, as in 「見事な演技」; stresses a brilliant result, and can mean utter, as in 「見事に負けた」.
- Related老巧ろうこうWrittenSkilled and seasoned through long experience, as in 「老巧な手腕」; formal and rather rare — in everyday speech 「うまい」 is enough.
- Related優れたすぐれたWrittenOutstanding relative to others, as in 「優れた才能」; mostly used before nouns, with a formal tone. 「うまい」 leans toward skill or taste.
- Antonym下手へたNeutralOpposite of 「うまい」 in the skill sense: clumsy or bad at something, as in 「歌が下手」; the most common word in daily use.
- Antonym未熟みじゅくWrittenOpposite of 「うまい」: immature from lack of experience or training; also unripe fruit. The stress is on not yet being ready.
- AntonymつたないWrittenOpposite of 「うまい」 in the skill sense: crude and unskillful, often a humble phrase about one's own work, as in 「拙い文章ですが」.
Default in speech for good skill or good food. For being good at something use 「上手」; for clever technique 「巧み」; for seasoned experience 「老練」 or 「熟練した」; for a capable expert 「腕利き」. The opposite is 「下手」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
English equivalents
See also
