可愛い
kawaii[ka̠β̞a̠ii]
kawaii is the Japanese word for cute.
可愛い means cute, but in Japanese culture, the term is used much more broadly than in English. It can be applied to anything from small animals to fashion, behavior and even certain types of food or objects.
Meaning: cute, in the context of Japanese culture (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
kawaii
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse kawaii (cute) with kowai (scary) because the vowel sounds are similar.
Did you know?
- The concept of kawaii is so central to Japanese identity that the government uses it in official diplomacy. This is seen in the 'Kawaii Diplomacy' efforts to promote Japanese culture globally.
- The word kawaii originally meant 'shameful' or 'embarrassing' in classical Japanese. It was used to describe someone who caused one to feel a sense of shame or embarrassment.
- Japanese has a specific term busakawa to describe something that is 'ugly-cute'. This blends kawaii with busai meaning 'ugly'.
Examples in context
- この猫はとても可愛い。Kono neko wa totemo kawaii.This cat is very cute.
- そのキャラクター、可愛いね！Sono kyarakutā, kawaii ne!That character is cute, isn't it!
- 可愛い服を買いました。Kawaii fuku o kaimashita.I bought cute clothes.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are looking at a small dog in a park.
- 蓮 Ren見て、あの犬、すごく可愛いよ。Mite, ano inu, sugoku kawaii yo.Look, that dog is so cute.
- 美咲 Misaki本当だ！すごく可愛いね。Hontou da! Sugoku kawaii ne.You're right! It's very cute.
- 蓮 Renあの子、走っている姿も可愛いな。Ano ko, hashitte iru sugata mo kawaii na.The way it runs is cute too.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に可愛い。癒やされるね。Hontou ni kawaii. Iyasareru ne.It's really cute. It's so soothing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kawaii” translations and entries 可愛い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
