あつい

§ What あつい means

Let's talk about the Japanese word あつい (atsui). This is a really common adjective you'll hear and use a lot, especially if you're in Japan during the summer. Basically, あつい means 'hot.' But like in English, 'hot' can refer to a few different things. In Japanese, あつい specifically refers to hot weather or a hot object. It doesn't mean 'spicy hot' or 'attractive.' For those, you'd use different words.

DEFINITION

Hot (weather/object).

So, when you're sweating bullets in July, you'd say 'あついですね!' (Atsui desu ne!) which means 'It's hot, isn't it?' Or if you touch a freshly brewed cup of tea and it's too warm, you'd also describe it as あつい.

§ When to use あつい

You'll use あつい in a couple of main situations:

• Describing hot weather: This is probably the most common use. If it's a scorching day, あつい is the word.
• Describing hot objects: If something feels hot to the touch, or if food/drink is hot, you'd use あつい.

Let's look at some examples:

§ Common phrases with あつい

You'll often hear あつい used in these kinds of phrases:

• あついですね (Atsui desu ne): 'It's hot, isn't it?' – A very common greeting/conversation starter in summer.
• あつい日 (Atsui hi): 'A hot day.'
• あついお湯 (Atsui o-yu): 'Hot water.'
• あついコーヒー (Atsui koohii): 'Hot coffee.'

Knowing these common uses will help you understand and sound more natural when speaking Japanese. The key is to practice using it in different contexts. Try to describe things around you using あつい. Is your computer getting hot? Is the soup you're eating hot? The more you use it, the more it will stick.

Remember to differentiate あつい (hot) from さむい (samui - cold weather) and つめたい (tsumetai - cold object). Each word has its specific use, and mastering them will make your Japanese much more precise.

§ Mistakes people make with あつい

Many learners, especially at the A1 level, run into a few common pitfalls when using あつい. This section will help you avoid them.

§ Mistake 1: Using あつい for 'Hot' (Spicy)

The most frequent mistake is using あつい to describe spicy food. While English uses "hot" for both temperature and spiciness, Japanese has different words.

DEFINITION

Hot (temperature) vs. Hot (spicy)

§ Mistake 2: Confusing あつい with 暑い and 熱い

This is a classic. While あつい is the hiragana form, there are two common kanji for "hot": 暑い (あつい - atsui) and 熱い (あつい - atsui). They both sound the same but mean slightly different things.

DEFINITION

暑い (あつい) refers to hot weather or climate. 熱い (あつい) refers to a hot object, like a hot drink or a burning stove.

• 暑い (あつい): Used for weather.
• 熱い (あつい): Used for objects.

§ Mistake 3: Incorrect particle usage (less common, but still happens)

While あつい is an i-adjective, new learners sometimes struggle with how to connect it to nouns or use it in sentences. For an i-adjective, you just place it directly before the noun it modifies, or use です (desu) to end a sentence.

DEFINITION

i-adjectives directly modify nouns, e.g., あつい日 (atsui hi - hot day).

Avoid trying to insert particles like の (no) or が (ga) between the adjective and the noun when the adjective directly modifies it. Those particles have other roles.

§ Recap: How to avoid these mistakes

• For spicy food, use 辛い (からい).
• When speaking about weather, think 暑い (あつい).
• When speaking about objects, think 熱い (あつい).
• At A1, using just あつい in hiragana is perfectly fine and context will usually make it clear.
• i-adjectives like あつい directly precede the noun they modify.

By keeping these points in mind, you'll use あつい correctly and confidently. Practice makes perfect, so try making your own sentences!

You're learning Japanese, and you've likely encountered あつい (atsui). It's a common word, but it can be a bit tricky because there are actually three different Japanese words that all sound like "atsui" but have different meanings and are written with different kanji.

This lesson will focus on the most common あつい (atsui) for 'hot' (weather/object) and explain how to use it correctly. We'll also clear up the confusion with the other 'atsui' words so you know when to use which one.

§ あつい (暑い) - Hot (Weather)

This あつい (暑い) is an い-adjective used specifically to describe hot weather or a hot atmosphere. Think of it as describing the air temperature around you.

Japanese Pronunciation

あつい (atsui)

Meaning

Hot (weather/climate)

Kanji

暑い

Translation hint: Today is very hot.

Translation hint: On hot days, cold drinks are nice, aren't they?

§ あつい (熱い) - Hot (Object/Liquid)

This second あつい (熱い) is also an い-adjective, but it describes the temperature of an object, food, or liquid. Think of it as 'physically hot to the touch.'

Japanese Pronunciation

あつい (atsui)

Meaning

Hot (object, liquid, food)

Kanji

熱い

Translation hint: This tea is very hot.

Translation hint: I want to take a hot bath.

§ あつい (厚い) - Thick

To make things even more interesting, there's a third あつい (厚い), which means 'thick'. This one has nothing to do with temperature!

Japanese Pronunciation

あつい (atsui)

Meaning

Thick (e.g., a thick book, thick slice)

Kanji

厚い

Translation hint: This book is very thick.

Translation hint: I ate a thick pancake.

§ Summary: When to Use Which あつい

• 暑い (あつい): For hot weather or a hot atmosphere. (e.g., 今日は暑いですね - Today is hot, isn't it?)
• 熱い (あつい): For hot objects, liquids, or food. Something that is hot to the touch. (e.g., このコーヒーは熱い - This coffee is hot.)
• 厚い (あつい): For describing something as thick. (e.g., 厚い本 - a thick book.)

The key to mastering these words is paying attention to context. Are you talking about the weather, a physical object's temperature, or its dimension? Once you get used to the different kanji and their associated meanings, it will become much clearer.