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Short answer

“delicious” in Japanese is おいしい

How to say delicious in Japanese?

How to say delicious in Japanese? The standard answer is おいしい (oishii), an i-adjective that works in most everyday situations. It is also written 美味しい, and the kanji spelling can look slightly more polished in writing. In casual conversation, Japanese people often say うまい (umai) instead, especially among friends. Use おいしい with です in polite contexts, and keep うまい for relaxed, informal talk.

adjective美味しい / うまい Updated October 16, 2026

Common pairings

おいしい料理 (oishii ryouri) — delicious food / a delicious mealすごくおいしい (sugoku oishii) — really deliciousおいしい店 (oishii mise) — a place that serves good food

How to use it

  • おいしい is the standard, all-purpose word for 'delicious'. Add です when talking to a stranger, an older person, or someone you do not know well.
  • うまい is a casual, direct alternative. It is common among friends and can sound more masculine, though women also say it. Be careful: うまい also means 'skillful', so use the context to understand the meaning.
  • 美味しい and おいしい are the same adjective. In everyday casual text, hiragana おいしい is more common; the kanji form 美味しい can feel a bit more polished.

Examples

このラーメンはおいしいです。
This ramen is delicious.
このラーメンは (kono raamen wa) + おいしいです (oishii desu) — polite, standard form.
そのケーキ、すごくおいしかったよ。
That cake was really delicious!
おいしかった (oishikatta) is the past form; よ (yo) adds a friendly, emphatic tone.
うまい！
Tasty!
うまい (umai) is a casual exclamation you can use when eating something great with friends.
美味しい料理をありがとうございます。
Thank you for the delicious meal.
美味しい (oishii) is the kanji spelling; ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu) is polite thanks.

Common mistakes

WrongCorrectWhy
わたしはおいしいです。 これはおいしいです。 わたしはおいしいです literally means 'I am delicious.' おいしい describes the food or drink, not the person feeling the taste.
ラーメンをおいしいです。 ラーメンはおいしいです。 Adjectives attach to the topic with は, not with the object particle を. Use を when the word is the object of a verb, not with an adjective.
UnnaturalNaturalWhy
この料理はうまいです。 この料理はおいしいです。 うまい is too casual for formal or polite situations. Use おいしい when speaking politely, and keep うまい for informal conversation with friends.

FAQ

  1. How to say delicious in Japanese
    The standard way is おいしい (oishii). Say おいしいです in polite situations, and use うまい (umai) casually with close friends.
  2. Does うまい (umai) always mean delicious?
    No. うまい can also mean 'skillful' or 'good at', as in テニスがうまい (good at tennis). Look at the context to tell which meaning is intended.
  3. How do I say it was delicious after a meal?
    Use おいしかったです (it was delicious), and add ごちそうさまでした to thank the cook or host after eating.
  4. Is 美味しい the same as おいしい?
    Yes, 美味しい is the kanji spelling of the same adjective. おいしい in hiragana is more common in casual writing.