Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 卡哇伊 | kǎwāyī |
| 可愛 / 可爱 | kě'ài |
卡哇伊 is a slang term often used in internet circles or by fans of ACG (Animation, Comics and Games) culture to describe a specific aesthetic of cuteness. To describe something as generally cute and lovable, youngsters often use the term 萌.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the standard word for cute and the transliterated version. 可爱 (or 可愛) is the native Chinese adjective for "cute" and can be used in any context. In contrast, 卡哇伊 is a phonetic transliteration of the Japanese word "kawaii" and is used specifically to evoke Japanese pop culture aesthetics or to describe things with a "Japanese-style" cuteness.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mainland China, the phrase 萌萌哒 is used to express extreme cuteness or to describe someone or something that makes people feel tender.
How do you pronounce it?
kǎwāyī
Did you know?
- While 可爱 is the standard word for 'cute', the slang term 萌 was borrowed from the Japanese 'moe', which describes a specific feeling of burning passion or affection for a character.
- Depending on the tone, using 可爱 to describe an adult in a professional setting can be interpreted as condescending or infantalizing rather than a compliment.
- The term 萌 (méng) used to mean 'sprout' or 'bud' in traditional botany, but now serves as the primary way to describe 'moe' or 'cute' subcultures.
Examples in context
- 他的猫非常可爱！His cat is really cute!
- 这只小狗太萌啦！This puppy is so cute!
- 她的表情可爱到爆！Her expression is super cute!
- 这个公仔很卡哇伊。Zhège gōngzǎi hěn kǎwāyī.This plushie is very kawaii.
- 那种风格真的很卡哇伊。Nà zhǒng fēnggé zhēn de hěn kǎwāyī.That style is really kawaii.
- 她穿了一身卡哇伊的衣服。Tā chuānle yīshēn kǎwāyī de yīfú.She wore a kawaii outfit.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a collection of Japanese stationery.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这些文具好卡哇伊啊！Zhèxiē wénjù hǎo kǎwāyī a!This stationery is so kawaii!
- 俊杰 Junjie晓雯，你真的很喜欢这种风格。Xiǎowén, nǐ zhēn de hěn xǐhuān zhè zhǒng fēnggé.Xiaowen, you really love this style.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen对啊，我觉得它们很卡哇伊。Duì a, wǒ juédé tāmen hěn kǎwāyī.Yes, I think they are very kawaii.
- 俊杰 Junjie那我们就买一套吧。Nà wǒmen jiù mǎi yī tào ba.Then let's buy a set.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kawaii” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
