焦げ臭い

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 焦げ臭い is read こげくさい and is an adjective describing a smell like something has burned or scorched.
• Basic usage: It is used when a kitchen or fabric being ironed gives off a burnt smell.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Smell versus burning action
  • It describes the state of smelling burnt and is distinct from a verb that states that an object itself is burning or scorching.