# 渋 bitter flavor

(waterleft) + 止 (stop) + (Sparkles)
★★★☆☆
11 strokes
PN
bitter - Well, not just REGULAR bitter (which is 苦い　（にがい）), but a really specific KIND of bitterness that only Japanese people can taste!

In fact, my Japanese friends could only think of 3 cases where you'd use it: unripe fruit, too-strong green tea, or certain raw persimmons.

Shibui can also refer to a sort of sophisticated, cooly sexy older man, such as George Clooney or Keifer Sutherland.

What the hell IS it with this word??

## Onyomi

JUU | Mention JEWs to an Iranian and they make a bitter face like :

## Mnemonic

| This tastes so bitter I have to stop and drink some sparkling water to wash out the taste

## Kunyomi

しぶ*い | bitter 1/2 KANA ★★★☆☆

## Jukugo

渋滞(じゅうたい) | traffic jam ★★★☆☆ 渋 (bitter flavor) + 滞 (delay / be overdue) = 渋滞 (traffic jam)
渋谷(しぶや) | Shibuya ★★★☆☆ 渋 (bitter flavor) + 谷 (valley) = 渋谷 (Shibuya) the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo (lit. 'bitter valley'、which kind of makes sense when you go there and smell it.)

## Synonyms

bad-tasting まずい 酸っぱい 苦い 渋い