香気|こうきkouki[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounfragrance

• Synonym芳香ほうこうWrittenWritten/formal prose; the closest in meaning to 「香気」, denoting a pleasant fragrance, as in 「芳香剤」.
• Synonym香りかおりNeutralNeutral and the most common everyday word for a pleasant smell, as in 「花の香り」; use it instead of 「香気」 in speech.
• Synonym匂いにおいNeutralNeutral; the broadest word for smell, covering good and bad odours alike, so it does not specifically mean a pleasant fragrance.
• SynonymアロマCasualColloquial loanword for scent in aromatherapy and relaxation contexts, as in 「アロマオイル」; not a literary word for fragrance.
• SynonymフレグランスCasualColloquial loanword for perfumes and scented products; it names commercial goods and is not used to describe the scent of flowers.
• Related香かWrittenWritten/formal prose. A single-character, old-fashioned word for fragrance, seen mostly in set expressions like 「木の香」.
• Related薫香くんこうWrittenWritten/formal prose for a lovely scent or the fragrance of burning incense, carrying a religious, refined nuance.
• Related馨香けいこうFormalFormal and archaic: fragrance, but also a good reputation by extension; very rarely used.
• Related異香いきょうWrittenWritten/formal prose for an extraordinary, wondrous fragrance, found mainly in Buddhist tales, as in 「異香が漂う」.
• Related薫くんWrittenWritten/formal prose. A single character for fragrance that is hardly ever used on its own, appearing mostly in personal names.
• Antonym悪臭あくしゅうNeutralNeutral antonym: an offensive, foul smell, as in 「悪臭を放つ」; the opposite of a pleasant fragrance.

In everyday speech say 「香り」 or 「いい匂い」; 「香気」 and 「芳香」 belong to written descriptions such as the scent of flowers or tea, while 「アロマ」 is the colloquial choice for aromatherapy and beauty contexts. For foul smells use 「悪臭」.

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

1. よい香かおり。