かわいい
kawaii
The Japanese word for cute is かわいい (kawaii).
かわいい is a very broad term used to describe anything that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way. This includes objects, animals, children, fashion, food and even certain behaviors or objects that are charming or endearing.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
kawaii
Did you know?
- The term is often extended into 'kimo-kawaii', a combination of 'kimochi warui' (gross) and 'kawaii', used to describe things that are strangely or disgustingly cute.
- The culture of かわいい is so influential that it appears in professional settings, such as government mascots known as 'yuru-chara'.
- The concept of かわいい evolved from an older meaning of 'small' or 'pitiful', implying something that needs protection.
Examples in context
- かわいいなー。It's so cute.This sentence shows how to express that something is cute using かわいい.Tatoeba #3506559 by arnab, translation #2249246 by CK
- トムってかわいい？Is Tom cute?This sentence uses かわいい to ask a question about someone.Tatoeba #3507415 by arnab, translation #2244590 by CK
- コアラ、かわいい。Koalas are cute.This sentence uses かわいい to describe koalas.Tatoeba #9740674 by small_snow, translation #2020509 by Spamster
- この犬はとてもかわいいですね。This dog is very cute, isn't it?
- このぬいぐるみ、かわいいね！This stuffed toy is cute, right?
- あの子はちょーかわいい！That girl is super cute!
- 77 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are looking at a small puppy in a pet shop.
- 蓮 Ren見て、この子すごくかわいいよ。Mite, kono ko sugoku kawaii yo.Look, this little one is so cute.
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ！目がとてもかわいいね。Hontō da! Me ga totemo kawaii ne.You're right! Its eyes are very cute.
- 蓮 Ren小さい手もかわいいと思う。Chiisai te mo kawaii to omou.I think its small paws are cute too.
- 美咲 Misakiもう、かわいすぎてたまらない！Mō, kawaisugite tamaranai!Oh, it's just too cute for words!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
