美しい
utsukushiikanji, standard
In kanji, "beautiful" is 美しい (utsukushii). The everyday word 綺麗 (kirei) is also written with kanji and covers "pretty" and "clean" as well. It is also called きれい (kirei).
Meaning: beautiful, pleasing to look at (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 美しい | utsukushii | kanji, standard |
| 綺麗 | kirei | kanji, everyday |
| きれい | kirei | hiragana, everyday |
美しい (utsukushii) feels a little formal and is used for scenery, art, voices and music. 綺麗 (kirei) is the word people use in daily talk for a pretty dress, a nice view or a clean room.
How does it change in a sentence?
美しい (utsukushii) is an i-adjective, so the past form is 美しかった (utsukushikatta). 綺麗 (kirei) is a na-adjective, so it takes な before a noun, as in 綺麗な花 (kirei na hana).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Many people write 綺麗 (kirei) in hiragana as きれい because the kanji is complex. Both are correct.
Did you know?
- The kanji 美 (bi) is a part of many words about beauty, such as 美人 (bijin), "a beautiful person".
Examples in context
- 美しい景色ですね。Utsukushii keshiki desu ne.It is a beautiful view, isn't it?
- 綺麗な花をもらいました。Kirei na hana o moraimashita.I received beautiful flowers.
- 彼女の声は美しい。Kanojo no koe wa utsukushii.Her voice is beautiful.
Example conversation
Haruka and Ken look at the mountains from a train window.
- Haruka見て、山が美しいよ。Mite, yama ga utsukushii yo.Look, the mountains are beautiful.
- Ken本当だ。綺麗だね。Hontou da. Kirei da ne.It is true. They are pretty.
- Haruka写真を撮ろう。Shashin o torou.Let's take a photo.
