酸っぱい|すっぱいsuppai[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N2approx.Common
Definitions
  1. i-adjectivesour; acid
    すっぱい木きにおいしい林檎りんごはならない。↗
    No good apple on a sour stock.
Conjugation
Plain form酸っぱい(すっぱい)
Polite (desu)酸っぱいです(すっぱいです)
Negative (kunai)酸っぱくない(すっぱくない)
polite (ku arimasen)酸っぱくありません(すっぱくありません)
Past (katta)酸っぱかった(すっぱかった)
Past negative (kunakatta)酸っぱくなかった(すっぱくなかった)
Te form (kute)酸っぱくて(すっぱくて)
Adverbial (ku)酸っぱく(すっぱく)
Conditional (kereba)酸っぱければ(すっぱければ)
kattara酸っぱかったら(すっぱかったら)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym酸いすいWrittenA more literary word for 'sour'; rarely used on its own today, it survives mainly in the idiom 「酸いも甘いも噛み分ける」. Everyday speech uses 「酸っぱい」.
  • Antonym甘いあまいNeutralThe opposite of 「酸っぱい」: 'sweet' in taste. It also describes thinking or ideas as naive.

For sour tastes in everyday speech, 「酸っぱい」 is the default. 「酸い」 means the same but is rarely used alone today, turning up mainly in idioms like 「酸いも甘いも噛み分ける」. For 'sweet', the opposite taste, use 「甘い」, which can also describe ideas as naive.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. (「酸すい」の強調きょうちょう形けい、元もとは口語こうご)酢すなど刺激的しげきてきな酸さんの味あじを感じ取かんじとる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

Say it right, write it right

Core lookup works fully offline, with cloud pronunciation and one-tap save & review. Free, no sign-up.

Free downloadWindowsFree downloadmacOSDownload on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
MobileiOS / Android

Android

QR code for the Google Play pageGet it on Google Play

Scan it with your Android phone to install, or search for “Tomoshi” on Google Play.

iOS

QR code for the App Store pageDownload on the App Store

Scan it with your iPhone camera to install, or search for “Tomoshi” in the App Store.

Install the browser extensionLook words up on any web page · Chrome / Edge / Safari

Screenshot of a Tomoshi lookup resultScreenshot of Tomoshi lookup results on a phone

Windows macOS Chrome / Edge / Safari extension iOS / Android