Japanese with Manga
Learning through examples in manga

Taste and meaning with 味

The kanji 味 means taste or flavor. It begins with the physical act of sensing something in the mouth. It extends to interest, charm, significance, and subtle qualities that are “tasted” mentally rather than physically.

Etymology

This kanji is a phono-semantic compound comprised of 口 (mouth) and 未 as the sound component. The image is of the mouth receiving and judging what it encounters, which later widen to more abstract “taste” in life and language.

Flavor

賞味 (Best flavor)

賞味(しょうみ) means appreciating flavor, and in modern usage it is most familiar in compounds like 賞味期限(しょうみきげん), the best-before or sell-by date for food.

The word keeps the idea of taste as something to be enjoyed rather than merely consumed.

It combines 賞 (appreciate) with 味 (flavor) to show flavor worth appreciating.

Manga panel from 三ツ星カラーズ showing example of Taste and meaning with 味.
三ツ星カラーズ » Volume 2 » Page 102

The confectionery shop owner is out shopping when the trio Colors appears.

おかし屋(や):
「カラーズちゃんあとでうち寄(よ)って期限(きげん)近(ちか)いおかし持(も)ってってよ」
“Colors, stop by my place later and take some of these snacks that are near their sell-by date.”
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Interest

趣味 (Hobby)

趣味(しゅみ) means a hobby, personal taste, or aesthetic preference. It refers to what someone enjoys and the flavor of their preferences.

Depending on context, it can mean a concrete pastime or someone’s sense of style and taste.

It combines 趣 (inclination) with 味 (taste) to show one’s personal taste or inclination.

Manga panel from ご注文はうさぎですか？ showing example of Taste and meaning with 味.
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 92

At the library, Cocoa thinks she’s realized which book Chino is trying to find, but forgot the title of.

ココア:
「今(いま)まで気付(きづ)かなかったけど」
“I didn't notice until now, but...”
「私(わたし)本(ほん)の趣味(しゅみ)合(あ)うのかもしれないねっ」
“...maybe we have similar taste in books.”
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Meaning

意味 (Meaning)

意味(いみ) means meaning, sense, or significance. It refers to what a word, action, or event conveys or amounts to.

This is one of the clearest abstract extensions of 味 from physical taste to something mentally grasped.

It combines 意 (idea) with 味 (taste) to show the flavor of an idea, that is, its meaning.

Manga panel from ご注文はうさぎですか？ showing example of Taste and meaning with 味.
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 8

Seeing Syaro handing out advertisement fliers. When Syaro says she can’t go home until she’s done with them, Cocoa likens her to the fabled little match girl.

ココア:
「そんなにチラシ燃(も)やしたかった？」
“Did you really want to burn the fliers that badly?”
「マッチならあるよ」
“I’ve got some matches.”
シャロ:
「そういう意味(いみ)じゃない」
“That’s not what I meant.”
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