センスいい
Meaning: Good sense or great taste — a compliment praising someone's aesthetic judgement, style, or creative instinct.
Combines the English loanword センス (sense) with いい (good) to compliment someone's taste or style. Used for fashion, interior design, gift choices, music taste, and even coding style. It implies an innate, effortless ability to make good aesthetic choices rather than something learned. A highly valued compliment in Japanese culture where aesthetic sensibility is important.
Examples
- このプレゼントのチョイス、センスいいね。 这礼物挑得真有品味啊。La elección de este regalo muestra muy buen gusto.이 선물 선택, センスいい네.
- 部屋の模様替えしたの?センスいいわ。 重新布置房间了?好有品味啊。¿Has redecorado la habitación? Tienes muy buen ojo.방 인테리어 바꿨어? センスいい다.
- あの人の服装いつもセンスいいよね。 那个人穿衣服总是很有品味呢。Esa persona siempre viste con mucho estilo, ¿verdad?저 사람 옷 항상 センスいい지.
Pronunciation
/se.n.su i.i/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, social media, casual conversation
Tone: admiring, appreciative
✓ Do Say
- この配色センスいいなぁ。 (This colour scheme shows great taste.)这个配色好有品味啊。(这个色彩搭配真的很有品味。)Esta combinación de colores demuestra muy buen gusto.이 배색 センスいい다. (이 컬러 조합 센스가 좋다.)
- センスいい人の部屋って居心地がいい。 (A room decorated by someone with good taste is comfortable to be in.)有品味的人布置的房间就是让人待着舒服。(品味好的人装饰的房间住起来就是舒服。)La habitación de una persona con buen gusto siempre resulta acogedora.センスいい 사람 방은 편안해. (센스 좋은 사람이 꾸민 방은 편안하다.)
✗ Don't Say
- 「センス悪い」は直接言わない方がいい (Avoid saying 'sensu warui' directly to someone — it's quite hurtful)最好不要直接说'センス悪い'(品味差)(避免直接对别人说'品味差'——这句话很伤人)Evita decir «sensu warui» directamente a alguien: resulta bastante hiriente.「センス悪い」는 직접 말하지 않는 게 좋다 ('センス悪い(센스 없다)'를 직접 말하면 상당히 상처가 된다)
Common Mistakes
- Confusing Japanese センス (innate aesthetic ability) with the broader English 'sense' — in Japanese it specifically refers to taste and style
Origin & History
From English 'sense' adopted into Japanese as a loanword. センスがいい has been used since the postwar era, with the abbreviated センスいい becoming dominant in casual speech. The concept of センス as an innate aesthetic ability is more specific than the English 'sense.'
Cultural Context
Era: Postwar loanword adoption, casual form from 1990s onward
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Aesthetic sensibility (センス) is a highly valued trait in Japanese culture.
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