Provided is a method for identifying a malodor inhibitor based on a response of an olfactory receptor. The present invention provides a method for identifying a malodor inhibitor including: adding a test substance and a malodor-causing substance to at least one olfactory receptor selected from the group consisting of OR5P3, OR5K1, OR2W1, OR8H1, and a polypeptide which has 80% or more identity in amino acid sequence to any one of the aforementioned polypeptides; measuring the response of the olfactory receptor to the malodor-causing substance; identifying the test substance which can suppress the response of the olfactory receptor based on the measured response; and selecting, as a malodor inhibitor, the test substance which can suppress the response of the olfactory receptor.