その髪型いいね
Sono kamigata ii ne
In Japanese, "I like your hair" can be expressed as その髪型いいね (Sono kamigata ii ne).
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that you like their hairstyle.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase その髪型 literally means "that hairstyle".
Which one should you use?
Use kamigata (hairstyle) rather than kami (the hair itself) to compliment the way someone has styled their hair.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the compliment more polite or formal, replace ii ne with suteki desu ne, as seen in その髪型、素敵ですね (That hairstyle is lovely, isn't it?).
How do you pronounce it?
Sono kamigata ii ne
Did you know?
- Japanese speakers often respond to the compliment その髪型いいね by modestly denying it or saying ie ie ('no, no') rather than simply saying 'thank you'.
- Historically, the way a person's hair was styled in Japan indicated their social class and marital status, making the kamigata a primary marker of identity.
- While kami means 'hair', the same sound can also mean 'god' or 'paper' depending on the kanji and pitch accent used.
Examples in context
- その髪型いいね！Sono kamigata ii ne!I like your hair!
- 今日のその髪型いいね。Kyou no sono kamigata ii ne.I like your hair today.
Example conversation
Yui and Youta meet at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui陽太、その髪型いいね！Youta, sono kamigata ii ne!Youta, I like your hair!
- 陽太 Yota本当？ありがとう。Hontou? Arigatou.Really? Thanks.
- 結衣 Yuiすごく似合ってるよ。Sugoku niatteru yo.It suits you very well.
- 陽太 Yota嬉しいよ、ありがとう。Ureshii yo, arigatou.I'm happy to hear that, thanks.
