美しい
utsukushii[ɯ̟t͡sɨ̥kɯ̟ɕiː]
The Japanese phrase for "someone is beautiful" is 美しい (utsukushii).
美しい is used to describe a person who is physically or spiritually attractive. It can describe not only people but also scenery, art or even a person's soul/actions.
Which one should you use?
While 美しい is often used for profound, aesthetic or sublime beauty, きれい is a more common, everyday way to say someone is beautiful or pretty.
How does it change in a sentence?
The negative form of the i-adjective 美しい is 美しくない, which means "not beautiful".
How do you pronounce it?
utsukushii
Did you know?
- In Japanese calligraphy, the beauty of the character 美 is often analyzed as a combination of 'sheep' and 'big', implying a plump sheep was once a standard of beauty.
- In ancient Japan, the word utsukushi originally meant 'small', 'pitiful' or 'cute' rather than 'beautiful' in the aesthetic sense.
- Japanese culture often finds beauty in the ephemeral, such as falling cherry blossoms. This means a phrase describing beauty is frequently associated with the concept of 'transience' or things that do not last long.
Examples in context
- 彼女はとても美しいです。Kanojo wa totemo utsukushii desu.She is very beautiful.
- あの人の心は美しい。Ano hito no kokoro wa utsukushii.That person's heart is beautiful.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a photo of a famous artist.
- 陽太 Yotaこの絵のモデルは美しいですね。Kono e no moderu wa utsukushii desu ne.The model in this painting is beautiful, isn't she?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、本当に美しい女性です。Hai, hontou ni utsukushii josei desu.Yes, she is a truly beautiful woman.
- 陽太 Yota結衣さんも美しいですよ。Yui-san mo utsukushii desu yo.You are beautiful too, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さん、急に何を言っているんですか？Youta-san, kyuu ni nani o itte iru n desu ka?Youta, what are you talking about all of a sudden?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 美しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
