苦い

• Reading: にがい
• Romaji: nigai
• Kanji breakdown: 苦 (niga/ku) — bitter, suffering
• Pronunciation: /ni.ɡa.i/

Meaning

Bitter. Describes the taste of unsweetened tea, coffee, medicine, and certain vegetables.

An i-adjective for bitter taste. Also used figuratively in expressions like 苦い経験 (bitter experience) or 苦い顔 (a pained expression). Green tea and black coffee are commonly described as 苦い. Conjugates regularly: 苦くない, 苦かった.

Examples

1. この薬は苦いけど飲んでください。 This medicine is bitter, but please take it.
2. コーヒーが苦くて飲めません。 The coffee is too bitter for me to drink.
3. 苦い野菜は子どもに人気がない。 Bitter vegetables aren't popular with kids.

Usage Guide

Context: food, taste, medicine

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 苦 combines the grass radical (艹) with 古 (old), suggesting the bitterness of withered plants. Used in Japanese since ancient times for both literal and figurative bitterness.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal