Onomatopoeia Describing the State of Food and Drinks
Table of Contents
1. Onomatopoeia Describing the State of Food and Drinks
2. ① Temperature
3. ② Texture
4. Summary
5. Similar Articles
6. Comment
Onomatopoeia Describing the State of Food and Drinks
In the Japanese language, there are various onomatopoeia. Today, I will introduce onomatopoeia that describes the state of food and drinks.
①Temperature
[あつあつ／アツアツ]
It describes the state of freshly made, boiling food. Sometimes, it can be a bit too hot to eat.
[Commonly paired dishes]
Hot pot dishes, teppanyaki dishes, ramen, udon, soba
[Examples]
寒い冬はあつあつの鍋料理がおいしいですよ。
Hot pot dishes are delicious during the cold winter.
東京で食べたアツアツのラーメンが忘れられません。
I can’t forget the nice hot ramen I had in Tokyo.
このグラタンは焼きたてであつあつです。
This gratin is fresh out of the oven and piping hot.
[ほかほか]
It describes food that is freshly made, soft, and warm.
[Commonly paired dishes]
Rice, steamed dishes, steamed root vegetables like pumpkin or sweet potatoes, soups
[Examples]
できたてのごはんはほかほかでとてもおいしそうです。
Freshly cooked rice looks warm and very delicious.
冬はほかほかの焼きいもが食べたくなります。
In winter, I crave warm roasted sweet potatoes.
ほかほかのスープで体が温かくなりました。
The warm soup made my body feel cozy.
[ほくほく]
It describes food that is soft and warm when you put it in your mouth.
[Commonly paired dishes]
Pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and other root vegetables
[Examples]
このかぼちゃ、ほくほくしておいしいね。
This pumpkin is soft and delicious.
ほくほくした焼きいもが好きです。
I love soft and fluffy roasted sweet potatoes.
[キンキン]
It describes drinks that are extremely cold.
[Commonly paired drinks]
Beer, sake, juice
[Examples]
暑い日にはキンキンのビールが本当においしいです。
On a hot day, ice-cold beer is delicious.
キンキンに冷やしたジュースをお風呂のあとに飲みました。
I drank an ice-cold juice after taking a bath.
②Texture
[もちもち]
It describes food that is soft and elastic like mochi, with a sticky texture.
[Commonly paired dishes]
Mochi, bread, glutinous rice, noodles
[Examples]
このもち、とてももちもちでおいしいね。
This mochi is so chewy and delicious.
このパン、もちみたいにもちもちだね！
This bread is chewy like mochi!
この麺はもちもちしています。
These noodles are chewy.
[ふわふわ／フワフワ]
It describes food that is very soft and feels light as if filled with air.
[Commonly paired dishes]
Pancakes, cotton candy, marshmallows, meringue.
[Examples]
子供のときからフワフワしたわたあめが大好きです。
I’ve loved fluffy cotton candy since I was a child.
さとうを入れるとふわふわのメレンゲができます。
When you add sugar, you get fluffy meringue.
このオムレツはふわふわですね！
This omelet is so fluffy!
[カリカリ]
It describes food that is moderately dehydrated, hard, and dry but still easy to eat.
[Commonly paired dishes]
Fried chicken, deep-fried dishes, grilled bacon.
[Examples]
あそこのからあげはカリカリしておいしいです。
The fried chicken of that restaurant is crispy and delicious.
アメリカ人はベーコンをカリカリに焼いて食べます。
Americans like to cook their bacon until it’s crispy.
フライドポテトはほくほくよりカリカリのほうが好みです。
I prefer crispy fries over soft ones.
[パサパサ]
It refers to food that is extremely dry and lacks moisture. It can also describe food that absorbs moisture from your mouth when eaten.
[Examples]
このごはん、パサパサだけど水を含ませて温めたら良くなるよ。
This rice is dry, but if you add some water and heat it up, it will get better.
このクッキー、パサパサで食べにくいな。
This cookie is dry and hard to eat.
パンを焼いたけど、なんかパサパサしてます。
I baked the bread, but it feels kind of dry.
Summary
Japanese people often use onomatopoeia to describe the state of food and drinks. Even subtle sound differences carry distinct meanings for Japanese speakers.
When you want to explain food and drinks in more detail to Japanese people, onomatopoeia is an incredibly useful tool!
It would be great if you could gradually learn and enjoy using them to communicate more effectively!
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