甘い|あまいamai[0]heiban (flat)
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- i-adjectivesweet-tasting; sweet; sugary; sugared
- i-adjectivefragrant (smelling); sweet (music)
- i-adjectivelightly salted; light in salt; not spicy
- i-adjectivenaive; overly optimistic; soft on; generous; indulgent; easy-going; lenientメアリーにはつい甘くなってしまう。↗I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Mary.
- i-adjectivehalf-hearted; not finished properly
- i-adjectiveinsufficient; not satisfactory; inadequate; loose
- i-adjectivemild
- i-adjectivetempting; enticing; luring
Conjugation
| Plain form | 甘い(あまい) |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 甘いです(あまいです) |
| Negative (kunai) | 甘くない(あまくない) |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 甘くありません(あまくありません) |
| Past (katta) | 甘かった(あまかった) |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 甘くなかった(あまくなかった) |
| Te form (kute) | 甘くて(あまくて) |
| Adverbial (ku) | 甘く(あまく) |
| Conditional (kereba) | 甘ければ(あまければ) |
| kattara | 甘かったら(あまかったら) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- SynonymスイートCasualLoanword with a Western flair; used for sweet wine, melodies, pleasant atmospheres. For the everyday taste of sweetness, 「甘い」 is the natural choice.
- Synonym甘口あまくちNeutralDescribes a flavour that is mildly sweet or not spicy, as in 「甘口カレー」; the counterpart of 「辛口」. 「甘い」 is the general word for sweet, with a much wider range.
- Related甘々あまあまCasualColloquial for very sweet, and for couples being lovey-dovey, as in 「甘々なカップル」. Stronger in degree than 「甘い」 and carries a casual, informal tone.
- Antonym苦いにがいNeutralThe direct opposite of 「甘い」 in taste: bitter. It also figuratively describes painful, unpleasant experiences, as in 「苦い経験」.
- Antonym塩辛いしおからいNeutralThe opposite of 「甘い」 in its lightly salted sense: strongly salty. In everyday speech 「しょっぱい」 is the more common word.
Default to 「甘い」 for anything sweet. Use 「甘口」 for a mildly sweet, not-spicy taste, 「甘々」 for very sweet or lovey-dovey couples, and 「スイート」 when a stylish, Western feel fits. Antonyms: 「苦い」 bitter, 「塩辛い」 salty.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


