Jul
04
2012

醍醐味

だいごみ [daigomi] – This word refers to the most interesting/pleasurable/thrilling thing in some category.

The word 醍醐 comes from Buddhist traditions and refers to the highest ranking of purified milk. Though the usage is different and broader in Japanese, the idea is similar to how we say “the cream of the crop” in English.

これぞ人間の醍醐味！
kore zo ningen no daigomi!

“THIS is why it’s great to be a human!”
(exclamation after some really awesome experience)

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Posted under Vocabulary Bank by Nihonshock.

3 Responses


  • What is the ぞ　in this example sentence?

    by: Sandy, Jan 3rd at 9:57 am

  • @Sandy-
    That is the hiragana symbol for the syllable “zo”. It is composed of the basic hiragana symbol for the syllable “so” with a tenten added (the two little apostrophe-like things). This signals the reader to change the “so” into a voiced consonant- which makes it “zo”.

    by: Jamie Farren, Jul 11th at 12:47 pm

  • ぞ here is to emphasize and adds force (usually used by male).THAT’s why “THIS” is all capitalized

    by: JohanC, Sep 11th at 12:17 pm