This article will give you all of the knowledge you need on the Japanese word suki, including its Japanese definition and translation, example sentences, related expressions and more!
Contents
What does suki mean?
In Japanese, suki (好き、すき) means a liking or fondness for something. You can also use it to say that you like someone (romantically). This is a common word you will hear over and over in Japan, so it’s worth mastering!
Ga + Suki = Liking something
To say you like something in Japanese, you use the ga particle + suki.
To make it easier for you, I have written each sentence in full Japanese kanji in the first line, followed by roman letters (romaji), and hiragana, with the English meaning coming last.
バナナが好き。
Banana ga suki.
ばなながすき。
I like bananas.
なぜか、ワンちゃんは私の手をペロペロと舐めるのが好き。
Naze ka, wanchan wa watashi no te wo peropero to nameru no ga suki.
なぜか、わんちゃんはわたしのてをぺろぺろとなめるのがすき。
For some reason, the dog likes licking my hand.
This same construction can also be used when asking what people like.
料理は何が好きなの?
Ryouri wa nani ga suki na no?
りょうりはなにがすきなの?
What food do you like?
私は寿司が好き。
Watashi wa sushi ga suki.
わたしはすしがすき。
I like Sushi.
どんな本が好きですか?
Donna hon ga suki desu ka?
どんなほんがすきですか?
What kind of books do you like?
歴史の本が好きです。
Rekishi no hon ga suki desu.
れきしのほんがすきです。
I like history books.
You can use suki + the na particle to talk about your favorite things. The first example below literally translates as the place that I like.
好きな場所にいると、元気がでる。
Suki na basho ni iru to, genki ga deru.
すきなばしょにいると、げんきがでる。
I feel better when I’m in my favorite place.
好きな音楽はロックとジャズだ。
Suki na ongaku wa rokku to jyazu da.
すきなおんがくはろっくとじゃずだ。
My favorite music is rock and jazz.
お父さんの好きなパンケーキを作ってあげたんだ！
Otousan no suki na pankeiki wo tsukette agetanda!
おとうさんのすきなパンケーキを作ってあげたんだ！
Dad, I made your favorite pancakes for you!
Getting lovey-dovey
Suki can also be used to say I like you or I love you.
In this case, the English equivalent will depend on the context.
好きです。付き合ってください。
Suki desu. Tsukiatte kudasai.
すきです。つきあってください。
I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?
君がすごく好きだよ。
Kimi ga sugoku suki da yo.
きみがすごくすきだよ。
I love you so much.
Why do Japanese lovebirds use the word for like to express romantic feelings? I think the answer comes down to a reserved culture where people are embarrassed to show the full depth of their emotions.
Ai shiteiru (愛している、あいしている）literally means I love you, but it’s less common than its English counterpart. Most people are more at ease with using suki and daisuki (see below).
There’s liking something and then there’s loving it!
To add more intensity to all this liking, you can say daisuki (大好き、だいすき）instead of suki. Daisuki means love or adore.
太るけど、チョコレートが大好き!
Futoru kedo, chokoreito ga daisuki!
ふとるけど、ちょこれーとがだいすき!
It makes me fat, but I love chocolate!
彼は本当に彼女のことが大好きだ。
Kare wa hontou ni kanojo no koto ga daisuki da.
かれはほんとうに彼女のことがだいすきだ。
He really loves her.
As described earlier on, you can combine daisuki with the na particle to talk about things you love/your favorites.
ここは私の大好きなレストランです。
Koko wa watashi no daisuki na resutoran desu.
ここはわたしのだいすきなれすとらんです。
This is a restaurant that I love.
Without dislike, there is no like
To instead say you don’t like something, you use ga + suki jyanai.
納豆が好きじゃない。
Natto ga suki jyanai.
なっとうがすきじゃない。
I don’t like natto.
寒い天気が好きじゃないです。
Samui tenki ga suki jyanai desu.
さむいてんきがすきじゃないです。
I don’t like cold weather.
その番組は人気みたいだけど、僕はあまり好きじゃない。
Sono bangumi wa ninki mitai dakedo, boku wa amari suki jyanai.
そのばんぐみはにんきみたいだけど、ぼくはあまりすきじゃない。
It seems as though that show is popular, but I don’t like it all that much.
As you might have guessed, suki jyanai can also be used when you have fallen out of love. I hope you never get told this one!
ごめん。もうあなたのことは好きじゃない。
Gomen. Mou anata no koto wa suki jyanai.
ごめん。もうあなたのことはすきじゃない。
I’m sorry. I don’t love you anymore.
Rohan's favorite resource for learning Japanese is JapanesePod101, one of the best tools for getting started with the language. Sign up for a free lifetime account here.
- Discover the Best Things to Do near to Tokyo station: A Guide to Tokyo’s bustling center - January 15, 2023
- Maximize your JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) Miles: A Complete Guide on Earning, Redeeming, and Hacks - January 15, 2023
- Discover the Best Things to Do in Harajuku: A Guide to Tokyo’s Trendiest Neighborhood - January 15, 2023
