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Comment by thaumasiotes | Hacker News Reader

> spiciness (la4, 辣). The latter is commonly used outside the combined descriptor to signify normal capsaicin spice in food.

True, but it isn't restricted to that; it also describes the taste of garlic.

(Whereas in English, I would never describe garlic or onions as "hot". If I needed a descriptor, I'd call them "sharp".)

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Garlic has a different chemical in it (allicin), but it hits the same receptors as capsaicin. If you've ever tasted a chimichurri with a ton of raw garlic before it's had a chance to mellow out in the oil, you'll attest that garlic can indeed be spicy.

Here are the main chemicals that are usually described as spicy - they all use the same mechanism to create a "heat" sensation, with the exception of the Sichuan peppercorns:

- Chile Peppers: Capsaicin

- Onions/Garlic: Allicin and Pyruvic Acid

- Ginger: Gingerol

- Black Pepper: Piperine

- Mustard/Horseradish/Wasabi: Allyl Isothiocyanate

- Sichuan Peppercorn: Hydroxy-Alpha-Sanshool

[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8963709

That's interesting, I wouldn't describe mustard as spicy. Mustard is shorter and more intense than capsaicin.

What about wasabi or horseradish?

> I would never describe garlic or onions as "hot"

Eat a raw garlic clove and then get back to me on that!

I've done it many times. Is one more going to be different somehow?

It's the same in German. Hot mustard is "scharf" meaning sharp, but in the USA you would buy "spicy" brown mustard. Horseradish is sharp. Habaneros are hot/spicy. I agree that a raw garlic clove or the right raw onion can be "spicy", but they dont have a heat profile like something loaded with capsaicin.

Actually it's quite normal in American English to describe garlic as hot or spicy, especially raw garlic.

Maybe somewhere, but it's not a usage I've encountered. Chilis are described as hot; garlic is usually just described as "garlic".

Have you tried chewing on a fresh raw clove of garlic? You may find yourself using different words :)

> Have you tried chewing on a fresh raw clove of garlic?

Come on. You could at least read my comments before responding to them.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32111461

You really think "sharp" is a bad descriptor for raw garlic?

Sharp seems reasonable, but I've never heard someone use it to describe garlic in isolation. I've only heard people use it when describing garlic flavor as part of a dish eg. "This pasta has a sharp garlic flavor".

Fresh raw garlic really burns, and I think it's quite normal to describe it as hot or spicy in American English.

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