acid · sour

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is さん, and the kun reading is すい. It has 14 strokes. It appears in words for sourness and oxygen.
• Basic usage: 酸っぱい is read すっぱい, and 酸素 is read さんそ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 酸っぱい / 酸素
  • 酸っぱい means sour and is read すっぱい. It describes the taste or smell of food as sour.
  • このみかんは少し酸っぱい。 means “This mandarin orange is a little sour.”
  • 酸素 means oxygen and is read さんそ. It refers to oxygen the body needs in greater amounts during strenuous exercise.
  • 激しい運動をすると、体は多くの酸素を必要とする。 means “The body needs a great deal of oxygen during strenuous exercise.”