Every Day Saturday #4. How to say you don't like the taste of something in a polite way.

There are going to be times when you are given something to eat which you are not too keen on. After all a lot of Japanese food is not to Western taste and it will take time to aquire a taste for some foods, such has Natto. So the following two, every day phrases may help:

不思議な味だね。　－　ふしぎなあじだね。　－　Fushigi na aji dane.　－　It's an unusual taste.

まあまあ　－　Maa-maa.　－　It's okay / So-so.

These two are polite ways of saying you do not really like something, especially if it's something the other person has made. (If they are really proud of it, it's best to say oishii but be less enthusiastic than normal)

Kanji Break Down

不 = Negative, Non-, Bad, Ugly, Clumsy.
ON Reading: Fu, Bu.

思 = Think.
ON Reading: Shi.
KUN Reading: Omou, Omoeraku, Obosu.

議 = Deliberation, Consultation, Debate, Consideration.
ON Reading: Gi.
KUN Reading: Kata, Nori.

味 = Flavour, Taste.
ON Reading: Mi.
KUN Reading: Aji, Ajiwau.