"I didn't even know I was hungry" (The Food Appreciation Thread)

In the Japanese language, the words karai (spicy as in hot pepper) and tsurai (trying as in a difficult time) are pronounced differently but written with the same Chinese character. Because the two are practically synonymous, this does not lead to widespread confusion and angst. How they are disambiguated in times of dire need is a genuine mystery of the Orient.

Show Content

SpoilerThe former is usually written 辛い, the latter is usually written つらい.