Proverb / Kotowaza
熱いが御馳走
Food is at its most delicious and is considered a true treat when eaten while it is still piping hot.
Heat is a feast
Quick Answer
Food is at its most delicious and is considered a true treat when eaten while it is still piping hot.
- Literal Image
- Heat is a feast
- How to Use It
- Used to encourage someone to start eating immediately while the food is fresh and hot, or to highlight that the heat of a dish is its most important quality.
Meaning
This proverb emphasizes that the temperature of food is a key part of its flavor and value. It teaches that even the finest meal loses its appeal once it cools down, and therefore, serving and consuming food while it is still hot is the ultimate form of hospitality and enjoyment.
Literal Image
Heat is a feast
How to Use It
Used to encourage someone to start eating immediately while the food is fresh and hot, or to highlight that the heat of a dish is its most important quality.
Tone
Neutral and practical.
Examples
さあ、早く食べなさい。熱いが御馳走というように、冷めてからでは美味しさが半減するよ。
Come on, eat up quickly. As the saying goes, 'hot is a feast'; the flavor is cut in half once it gets cold.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary 'atsui' is very basic (N5), but 'gochiso' is N3, and the grammar 'A ga B' used as an idiomatic definition is more in intermediate levels.
熱い
あつい / atsui
hot (to the touch/temperature)
御馳走
ごちそう / gochiso
feast, treat, or hospitality
Usage Profile
Usage note: Ensure the use of 'hot' here refers to food temperature.
Misread Risk
This proverb is specifically about food temperature; do not use it to describe hot weather or passionate emotions.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This expression originates from the practical, empirical wisdom that hot food is at its most flavorful and satisfying peak immediately after preparation.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.