かわいい
kawaiieveryday, hiragana
The Japanese word for "cute" is かわいい (kawaii), also written 可愛い. It is used for people, pets, objects and clothes.
Meaning: cute, adorable (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| かわいい | kawaii | everyday, hiragana |
| 可愛い | kawaii | kanji |
People say かわいい (kawaii) about a baby, a puppy, a bag or a small gift. It can be an everyday compliment among friends.
Which one should you use?
The word is wider than English "cute". It can mean "lovely" or "charming" and even a polite reaction to something small. The stronger 超かわいい (chou kawaii) means "super cute".
How does it change in a sentence?
かわいい (kawaii) is an i-adjective. The past form is かわいかった (kawaikatta) and the polite form is かわいいです (kawaii desu).
Did you know?
- The culture of かわいい (kawaii) is so well known that the word is used in English for a style of cute characters and fashion.
Examples in context
- この猫、かわいい!Kono neko, kawaii!This cat is so cute!
- そのバッグ、かわいいね。Sono baggu, kawaii ne.That bag is cute.
- 赤ちゃんがかわいいです。Akachan ga kawaii desu.The baby is cute.
Example conversation
Sakura shows her friend Nana a photo of her new kitten.
- Sakura見て、新しい子猫だよ。Mite, atarashii koneko da yo.Look, it is my new kitten.
- Nanaわあ、かわいい!Waa, kawaii!Wow, so cute!
- Sakura名前はミルクだよ。Namae wa Miruku da yo.Her name is Milk.
