JLPT N1・N3 Vocabulary – The difference between “さっぱり” and “あっさり”
Table of Contents
1. The difference between “さっぱり” and “あっさり”
2. さっぱり
3. あっさり
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comments
Q: Do “さっぱり” and “あっさり” have the same meaning?
A: They are similar, but they are not the same.
Both can describe things like “taste, personality, feelings, and results,” but
“さっぱり” focuses on changes in feelings or psychological state,
while “あっさり” places emphasis on ways of thinking, decision-making, and the lightness of the outcome.
さっぱり (JLPT N3)
[Meaning]
① A fresh and clean state, with no unpleasant feeling
② Not greasy, light
③ Completely, not at all (mainly used with negative expressions)
[Rules]
[V] さっぱり + verb dictionary form / past form + noun
[V] さっぱり + negative form
[N] さっぱりだ
[Commonly used with nouns]
味(taste)・食べ物(food)・飲み物(drinks)・性格(personality)
[Commonly used with verbs]
分からない (don’t understand)
[Examples]
シャワーを浴びてさっぱりしました。
I took a shower and felt refreshed.
暑い日は、さっぱりしたものが食べたくなります。
On a hot day, I crave something refreshing.
ゆみさんはさっぱりした性格です。
Yumi has a straightforward personality.
彼が何を言っているのかさっぱり分かりません。
I have no idea what he is talking about.
あっさり (JLPT N1)
[Meaning]
① A simple, uncomplicated state of a person’s personality or a situation
② A light flavor, not rich or heavy
③ Something that progresses easily, without taking much time or effort
[Rules]
[V] あっさり + verb dictionary form / past form
[N] あっさりした + noun
[Commonly used with nouns]
味(taste)・食べ物(food)・飲み物(drinks)・性格(personality)
[Commonly used with verbs]
できる(can do)・終わる(to be finished)・決まる(to be decided)
[Examples]
このラーメンは塩味であっさりしています。
This salt-flavored ramen has a light flavor.
チャンピオンがあっさり負けてしまいました。
The champion lost easily.
ゆみさんはあっさりした性格です。
Yumi has an easygoing personality.
Let’s Compare
[When used to describe the taste of food and drinks]
When talking about taste, “さっぱり” and “あっさり” may seem interchangeable, and the difference may not feel very clear at first.
However, in practice, they are used differently depending on what kinds of seasonings and ingredients are used.
[さっぱり]
Describes a flavor that is not rich and gives a fresh, refreshing impression.
In Japanese, dishes and drinks with acidity, such as those using vinegar or lemon, are often described as having a “refreshing taste”.
[Example]
これに酢を少しかけたら、さっぱりしますよ。
It will taste refreshing if you sprinkle a little vinegar on it.
[あっさり]
Describes a flavor that is not rich and is light, with little oil or seasoning.
It is often used for simmered dishes or soups seasoned mildly with soy sauce, salt, or dashi.
[Example]
和食は、あっさりしたものが多いです。
Japanese cuisine often features light dishes.
[When used to describe a person’s personality]
When describing personality, the key points are what happened and how the person acted in that situation.
“さっぱり” focuses on a shift in feelings or psychological state, while “あっさり” focuses on the lightness of one’s way of thinking or decision-making.
[さっぱり]
Conveys the nuance that the person has no lingering attachment and has emotionally moved on.
Depending on the context, it can also sound close to “uninterested” or “emotionally cool.”
[Example]
Ａ「え、もう彼氏と別れたの！？」
Ｂ「うん、いっしょにいてもおもしろくなかったから」
Ａ「さっぱりした性格だねぇ。」
A: “What, you already broke up with your boyfriend!?”
B: “Yeah, it just wasn’t interesting being together.”
A: “You really have a straightforward personality, huh?”
[あっさり]
Conveys the nuance of not overthinking things and making a decision easily.
[Example]
Ａ「え、もう彼氏と別れたの！？」
Ｂ「うん、別れようって言われたから。」
Ａ「それで「うん」って言ったの？」
Ｂ「うん」
Ａ「あっさりしてるね。」
A: “What, you already broke up with your boyfriend!?”
B: “Yeah, because he said we should break up.”
A: “And you just said ‘okay’?”
B: “Yeah.”
A: “You decided that way awfully easily.”
[Positive uses of “さっぱり” and “あっさり”]
[さっぱり＋ Positive Action]
This usage describes how the speaker’s feelings changed after taking a certain action.
For this reason, there is always some action that happens before saying “さっぱりした”.
[Examples]
汗をかいて気持ち悪かったけど、お風呂に入ってさっぱりしました。
I felt gross after sweating, but I felt refreshed after taking a bath.
⇒ It expresses that the speaker feels no discomfort after taking a bath.
言いたいことが言えて気持ちがさっぱりしました。
I felt relieved after I was able to say what I wanted to say.
⇒ It shows that the speaker has said what they wanted to say and now feels no unpleasant feelings.
[あっさり + Positive speech or action]
This usage focuses on how the action itself was carried out.
It can include the nuance of not thinking deeply or acting without hesitation.
[Examples]
何回も勧誘されたけど、あっさり断りました。
I was invited many times, but I declined straightforwardly.
⇒ It indicates that the speaker declined despite being repeatedly invited, doing so without any hesitation.
みんな社長には何も言えないのに、山本さんはみんなが言いたいことをあっさりと言いました。
While everyone else couldn’t say anything to the president, Yamamoto-san straightforwardly said what everyone wanted to say.
⇒ While everyone else was too reserved or felt unable to speak up because he is the president, it describes how Mr. Yamamoto acted without much thought.
[Idiomatic use of “さっぱり” and “あっさり”]
[さっぱり (Negative)]
Used together with negative expressions, it means “not at all.”
[Examples]
さっぱりわかりません。
I don’t understand at all.
⇒ Same meaning as “I don’t understand at all.”
テストはさっぱりできなくて、０点でした。
I couldn’t do the test at all and got zero points.
⇒ Same meaning as “I couldn’t do the test at all.”
[あっさり (Positive)]
Describes a result that comes easily or ends unexpectedly quickly.
[Examples]
難しそうな問題だったけど、あっさりできました。
It looked like a difficult problem, but I solved it easily.
⇒ It means ”I easily did it.”
つぎのプロジェクトはあっさり決まりました。
The next project was decided easily.
⇒ It means ”It was easily decided.”
彼女との関係はあっさりと終わってしまいました。
My relationship with her ended easily.
⇒ It means ”It ended easily.”
Summary
[さっぱり]
- Taste: Describes a fresh, refreshing flavor made without oil, often using citrus ingredients such as vinegar or lemon.
- Personality: Refers to a psychological aspect and may be perceived as indifferent or emotionally cool.
- Action: Describes a state in which no unpleasant feelings remain as a result of doing something.
- Idiomatic use: Used with negative expressions and has a meaning close to “not at all.”
[あっさり]
- Taste: Describes a light flavor that is not rich, with little oil or seasoning, centered on soy sauce or dashi.
- Personality: Refers to a thinking tendency, describing someone who makes judgments without thinking too deeply.
- Speech / action: Describes behavior in which someone takes action easily, without much thought.
- Idiomatic use: Used with affirmative expressions and has a meaning close to “easily.”
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A.さっぱり
A: 「今日は何を食べたい？」
B: 「うーん、そうだな。レモンとかゆずを使ったさっぱりしたものがいいな。」
A: “What do you feel like eating today?” B: “Hmm, let’s see. I’d like something light with lemon or yuzu.”
*The use of citrus ingredients like lemon and yuzu makes “さっぱり” the appropriate term.
A. さっぱり
この文法の説明、何度聞いてもさっぱりわからないよ！
No matter how many times I hear this grammar explanation, I just don’t get it at all!
*The negative verb “do not understand” is used, so “sappari” is the correct term.
A. あっさり
もっと手続きに時間がかかると思ったけどあっさり終わりました。
I thought the procedure would take more time, but it finished quickly.
*It describes a situation that was expected to take time but ended up being completed easily, so “あっさり” is suitable.
A. あっさり
わたしは先輩が怖くて何も言えないのに、かおるちゃんはあっさり言うからすごいです。
I’m too scared to say anything to the senior, but Kaoru-chan just says it outright, which is amazing.
*While the speaker feels it is difficult to say something to a senior, Kaoru-chan does not seem to have that difficulty, indicating “あっさり” is the appropriate term.
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