かわいい
kawaiieveryday
Cute is かわいい (kawaii) in Japanese. It is one of the best known Japanese words and is written with four hiragana letters.
かわいい (kawaii) is used for babies, animals, clothes and small items. It can also be said about a friend's outfit as a compliment.
Meaning: charming and adorable (adjective)
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as "ka-wa-ee", with the last two vowels together as a long ii.
When do people say it?
Cute culture is a big part of Japanese pop culture, with characters such as Hello Kitty. Many shops and brands use the word かわいい (kawaii) in their style.
Did you know?
- The word かわいい (kawaii) is now used in English too, especially for cute things from Japan.
Examples in context
- この犬はかわいいですね。kono inu wa kawaii desu ne.This dog is cute, isn't it.
- そのふく、かわいい！sono fuku, kawaii!That outfit is cute!
Example conversation
Saki meets her friend Nana, who wears a new hat.
- Sakiそのぼうし、かわいい！sono bōshi, kawaii!That hat is cute!
- Nanaありがとう！arigatō!Thank you!
- Sakiどこで買ったの？doko de katta no?Where did you buy it?
