かわいい女の子
kawaii onna no ko
The English phrase "cute girl" is translated into Japanese as かわいい女の子 (kawaii onna no ko).
The phrase is used to describe a young female who is attractive in a sweet or endearing way.
Which one should you use?
You can use 可愛い子 to refer to a "cute girl" more colloquially or affectionately. However, this term specifically carries the nuance of a "cute kid" or "cute child".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective kawaii directly precedes the noun onna no ko to modify it.
How do you pronounce it?
kawaii onna no ko
Did you know?
- The word kawaii has evolved from a term meaning 'embarrassing' or 'shameful' in the Edo period. It shifted from describing something pitiable to describing something charming and endearing.
- While English speakers use 'cute girl' for various ages, using kawaii onna no ko to describe an adult woman can sometimes sound patronizing. In Japan, calling an adult 'kawaii' can imply she is behaving like a child.
- Unlike the English 'cute', which is often used for objects like puppies or kittens, 'kawaii' is applied to much more abstract and even 'creepy' things in Japanese subcultures. This creates a unique aesthetic where 'scary-cute' is a valid style.
Examples in context
- Kono shōjo wa meccha kawaii ne. (この少女はめっちゃ可愛いね。)This girl is super cute, right?
- あそこに、かわいい女の子がいます。Asoko ni, kawaii onnanoko ga imasu.There is a cute girl over there.
- 彼女はとてもかわいい女の子ですね。Kanojo wa totemo kawaii onnanoko desu ne.She is a very cute girl, isn't she?
- かわいい女の子のイラストを描きたいです。Kawaii onnanoko no irasuto o kakitai desu.I want to draw an illustration of a cute girl.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Daisho are looking at a photo of a child.
- 陽葵 Himariこの写真、かわいい女の子だね。Kono shashin, kawaii onnanoko da ne.This photo is of a cute girl, right?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、誰の写真かな？Un, dare no shashin kana?Yeah, I wonder whose photo it is.
- 陽葵 Himari私の親戚のかわいい女の子だよ。Watashi no shinseki no kawaii onnanoko dayo.It's a cute girl who is a relative of mine.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうなんだ。とても似ているね。Sou nanda. Totemo nite iru ne.I see. She looks a lot like you.
