Proverb / Kotowaza
空き腹にまずい物なし
When you are hungry, anything you eat tastes delicious.
To an empty stomach, there is no such thing as bad-tasting food.
Quick Answer
When you are hungry, anything you eat tastes delicious.
- Literal Image
- To an empty stomach, there is no such thing as bad-tasting food.
- Closest Equivalent
- Hunger is the best sauce.
- How to Use It
- Used when someone finds food unexpectedly delicious after being very hungry, or to explain why simple food tastes so good after physical exertion.
Meaning
This expression describes how extreme hunger makes any food seem appealing and tasty. It suggests that a person's physical state of hunger acts as the best seasoning, enhancing the flavor of even the simplest meals.
Literal Image
To an empty stomach, there is no such thing as bad-tasting food.
Equivalent Proverbs
Hunger is the best sauce.
Both expressions use the idea of hunger making food taste better.
How to Use It
Used when someone finds food unexpectedly delicious after being very hungry, or to explain why simple food tastes so good after physical exertion.
Tone
A neutral observation of human nature, can be used in a lighthearted or reflective way.
Examples
登山の後に食べたおにぎりは最高においしかった。空き腹にまずい物なしとはよく言ったものだ。
The rice balls I ate after climbing the mountain were incredibly delicious. Just as they say, nothing tastes bad to an empty stomach.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses words like 'mazui' and 'mono', but the compound 'akibara' and the classical 'nashi' negation (ending the sentence) require familiarity with literary patterns.
空き腹
あきばら / akibara
empty stomach
まずい
まずい / mazui
bad tasting; unpalatable
物
もの / mono
thing; food
なし
なし / nashi
none; does not exist
Usage Profile
Usage note: It is an observation, not a complaint about food quality.
Misread Risk
Do not use it to criticize someone for being picky; it is better suited for describing one's own enjoyment of food when hungry.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This expression comes from the experience that when hungry, one's desire for food increases, making any food taste delicious. It describes the physiological truth that the condition of being hungry acts as the 'best seasoning' for a meal.
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Source Note
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