趣味（しゅみ、shumi）
- hobby

The Japanese word 趣味 (趣味) means "hobby," "interest," "pastime," or "taste." It refers to an activity, subject, or thing that a person enjoys doing or is interested in during their leisure time. It encompasses a wide range of activities, from collecting things to practicing sports or engaging in creative pursuits.

⚫︎ 私の趣味は読書です。 Translation: My hobby is reading. ⚫︎ 彼は写真が趣味です。 Translation: His hobby is photography. ⚫︎ 週末は、趣味の料理をします。 Translation: I cook as a hobby on weekends.

⚫︎ Use 趣味 (趣味) when talking about your or someone else's favorite activities done in free time. ⚫︎ It is a common and versatile word that can be used in various contexts, from casual conversations to more formal settings. ⚫︎ When asking about someone's hobbies, you can use the phrase 趣味は何ですか？ (Shumi wa nan desu ka?) - "What are your hobbies?" ⚫︎ When describing your own hobbies, the format is often 私の趣味は～です。 (Watashi no shumi wa ~ desu.) - "My hobby is ~."

⚫︎ The word is written as 趣味 in kanji. ⚫︎ The reading is しゅみ in hiragana. ⚫︎ There is no katakana version of the word. ⚫︎ The okurigana (送りがな - the hiragana attached to the kanji) is consistent.

There aren't many direct synonyms, but depending on the nuance, you could use these words: ⚫︎ 好きなこと (sukina koto) - things you like, favorite things ⚫︎ 興味 (kyoumi) - interest ⚫︎ 道楽 (dōraku) - hobby, pastime (often implying spending money on it)

While there aren't direct antonyms, something you dislike might be mentioned in contrast, or you can use words like: ⚫︎ 嫌いなこと (kirai na koto) - things you dislike ⚫︎ 苦手なこと (nigate na koto) - things you are not good at

あなたの趣味は何ですか？ ・Translation: What are your hobbies? ・Explanation: This is a common phrase used to inquire about someone's interests.

私の趣味は、旅行と映画鑑賞です。 ・Translation: My hobbies are travel and watching movies. ・Explanation: This sentence provides two examples of hobbies.

The word 趣味 (趣味) is a combination of two kanji: 趣 (shu), meaning "interest" or "taste," and 味 (mi), meaning "flavor" or "taste." Together, they convey the sense of "having a taste for something" or "an interest."