Tuoksua

Tuoksua is a Finnish verb meaning to emit a scent or to smell. It is used intransitively to describe how something smells or to indicate that something has a certain odor. The subject is typically the thing producing the scent, and the description is given with adjectives: for example, Kukka tuoksuu hyvältä and Kahvi tuoksuu voimakkaalta. The verb can express both pleasant and less pleasant smells, and it often appears with adverbs and adjectives that describe intensity or quality.

Tuoksu is the corresponding noun meaning scent or fragrance. It denotes the odor that something emits and is used for both natural aromas and artificial fragrances. Typical usages include phrases like Kukkien tuoksu on keväinen or Kahvin tuoksu täyttää huoneen. Tuoksu can function in literal contexts as well as in metaphorical or aesthetic descriptions, such as referring to a person’s atmosphere or a place’s ambiance in a poetic sense.

Etymology and related forms: The noun tuoksu is historically connected to the verb tuoksua; both share a common semantic core related to smelling. The precise historical origin is not extensively documented, but the forms are standard elements of modern Finnish vocabulary. Related words include tuoksuton, meaning unscented, and tuoksuttaa, meaning to perfume or scent something.

See also: haju, aromi, tuoksuttaminen. Note that Finnish also uses adjectives and compounds to modify smell, and word choice can convey nuances of pleasantness, intensity, and context.