かっこいい
kakkoii
The English phrase "cool" can be translated into Japanese as かっこいい (kakkoii).
In Japanese, かっこいい is a versatile and popular term used in informal settings to describe something as cool or aesthetically pleasing. It is important to note that it refers to style and appearance rather than temperature.
Meaning: having a slightly low temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between aesthetic coolness and temperature.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, people use カッコええ to mean cool.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this adjective as an adverb to modify a verb, change the final -i to -ku, resulting in かっこよく. To turn the adjective into a noun representing the quality of being cool, change the final -i to -sa, resulting in かっこよさ.
How do you pronounce it?
kakkoii
Did you know?
- The word かっこいい is a contraction of 格好 ('appearance' or 'shape') and いい ('good'). While it now describes a general vibe, it literally means 'having a good shape'.
- The word かっこ (kakko) can also mean 'parentheses' in a mathematical or grammatical context, though this is a homophone and unrelated in meaning.
- When using かっこいい to describe a man, it often carries a connotation of being 'gallant' or 'refined', whereas for a woman, it can imply she is 'strong' or 'independent'.
Examples in context
- かっこいいな。It's so cool!This sentence is useful for expressing that something is cool.Tatoeba #3506558 by arnab, translation #2170256 by Hybrid
- これ、かっこいい？Is this cool?This sentence is useful for asking if something is cool.Tatoeba #8689103 by bunbuku, translation #1682881 by CK
- すごいかっこいい。That's really cool.This sentence is useful for emphasizing that something is really cool.Tatoeba #11561461 by small_snow, translation #2251227 by CK
- 彼の新しい車は本当にかっこいいよね。His new car is really cool, isn't it?
- その映画の主人公はとてもクールなキャラクターだった。The protagonist of that movie was a very cool character.
- 最新のスマートフォンを手に入れた！めちゃくちゃイケてるよ！I got the latest smartphone! It's super cool!
- その曲はカッコええメロディーがあるで。That song has a cool melody, you know.
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are talking about the weather outside.
- 健太 Kenta今日は少しかっこいいね。Kyō wa sukoshi kakkoii ne.It's a bit cool today, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、本当に心地いい温度だね。Un, hontō ni kokochi ii ondo da ne.Yeah, it's a really comfortable temperature.
- 健太 Kenta上着を持ってきてよかった。Uwa-gi o motte kite yokatta.I'm glad I brought a jacket.
- 美咲 Misaki私も。風がかっこいいからね。Watashi mo. Kaze ga kakkoii kara ne.Me too. Because the breeze is cool.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
