Word
温い
Meaning in Englishlukewarm
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Word context
What it means
温い describes warmth that is not hot, i.e., tepid, and can extend metaphorically to an attitude, reaction, or tone that is gentle or nonassertive.
Main meanings
- Temperature sense: describes liquids or surfaces that are warm but not hot.
- Figurative sense: describes a gentle, nonassertive or lax stance, or a muted tone.
- Flavor or sensory nuance: may imply something mild or not sharply defined in flavor or effect.
How to use it
Used in casual speech to describe drinks or situations; ぬるい is common for temperature, while 温い in writing might be less common; in more formal contexts, 温かい or 微温 can be used to specify warmth; when describing people or responses, the sense often carries a negative nuance of complacency or lack of enthusiasm; examples include ぬるいお茶, ぬるい対応, ぬるい風潮.
Variants and close terms
- ぬるい (nurui) — standard reading for lukewarm
- 緩い (yurui) — broader sense of loose or lax in figurative uses
- 熱い (atsui) and 温かい (atatakai) — antonyms in temperature sense
Composition
- 温: warmth, heat; combined with the い adjective ending to indicate a mild warmth rather than strong heat, yielding the sense of tepidness.
Word class
adjective (i-adjective)
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