Japanese · Joy & Triumph
うまい
umai / umee
oo-MYE · /ɯmai/
Delicious! / So good! / Nailed it!
1/5 Grandma-safe
mild, playful; fine on daytime TV
Literally
"delicious / skillful"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The rougher, gutsier "delicious" (the polite word is oishii, which is softer and more women-coded). "Umee!" clipped is the male grunt of approval over a cold beer or a great bowl of ramen. Also means "skillful" — "umai!" at a great play or a clever pun.
Heard in the wild
この餃子うめえ、もう一皿。
These gyoza are so good — another plate.
Where it lands
Nationwide; umee form male-leaning
Quick answers
- What does "うまい" mean?
- In Japanese, "うまい" means "Delicious! / So good! / Nailed it!". Literally it's "delicious / skillful". The rougher, gutsier "delicious" (the polite word is oishii, which is softer and more women-coded). "Umee!" clipped is the male grunt of approval over a cold beer or a great bowl of ramen. Also means "skillful" — "umai!" at a great play or a clever pun.
- Is "うまい" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
- How do you pronounce "うまい"?
- Say it "oo-MYE" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ɯmai.
Related in Japanese
やばい yabai yah-BYE Insane / crazy / no way — good OR bad, from context やった yatta YAHT-tah Yes! / I did it! / We won! すげえ sugee (sugoi) soo-GEH Awesome! / Whoa! / Incredible! 最高 saikō sigh-KOH The best! / awesome / peak 気持ちいい kimochii kee-mo-CHEE Feels so good / that's the stuff 乾杯 kanpai kahn-PYE Cheers! / Bottoms up!
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "That's awesome".
- French Ça déchire ! That rocks! / That's awesome!
- German Geil! Awesome! / Sick! / Hell yes!
- Greek ρε μαλάκα Hey man / dude / bro — the affectionate-insult greeting between friends.
- Italian Figo! Cool! / Awesome! / Sick!
- Korean 존나 Fucking / hella — the vulgar intensifier that goes in front of everything.
- Polish zajebisty Fucking awesome / badass — the great slang-POSITIVE of the jebać family.
- Portuguese Do caralho Fucking awesome — OR, with 'casa do', the middle of nowhere
- Russian Класс! Awesome! / Great! / Cool!
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.