Japanese is a rich language that offers various ways to express beauty. Whether you want to praise nature, art, or someone’s appearance, there are multiple ways to convey beauty in Japanese. In this guide, we will explore formal and informal expressions for “beautiful” in Japanese, along with some tips, examples, and regional variations.
Table of Contents
Formal Expressions for Beautiful
When you want to express beauty in a formal or polite manner, the following expressions are commonly used:
- 美しい (utsukushii): This is the most straightforward and versatile expression for “beautiful” in Japanese. It can be used for various contexts, including nature, objects, or even abstract concepts. For example:
春の桜は美しいです。
(Haru no sakura wa utsukushii desu.)
The cherry blossoms in spring are beautiful.
- 麗しい (uruwashii): Used mainly in written or literary contexts, this expression conveys a more elegant and refined sense of beauty. It often describes the beauty of women or classical aesthetics:
着物姿の彼女は麗しいです。
(Kimono sugata no kanojo wa uruwashii desu.)
She looks beautiful in a kimono.
Informal Expressions for Beautiful
When you are speaking casually with friends or family, you can use these more relaxed expressions:
- 綺麗 (kirei): This is the most common and widely used term to describe beauty in everyday conversations. It can refer to both physical appearance and general aesthetics:
その絵本は綺麗だね。
(Sono ehon wa kirei da ne.)
That picture book is beautiful, isn’t it?
- きれいな (kirei na): By adding the particle “な (na)” to the end, you can turn “kirei” into an adjective and use it to describe nouns:
あの花はきれいな色だ。
(Ano hana wa kirei na iro da.)
That flower has a beautiful color.
Additional Tips and Examples
Here are a few additional tips and examples to help you further understand how to express beauty in Japanese:
- Use 溌溂 (hakka): This term is associated with a sense of dazzling or radiant beauty and can be used to emphasize something exceptionally beautiful.
彼女の笑顔は溌溂だ。
(Kanojo no egao wa hakka da.)
Her smile is radiant.
- Combine adjectives: You can combine adjectives to express different shades of beauty. For example, combining “美しい (utsukushii)” with “可愛い (kawaii)” would translate to “beautiful and cute.”
この子猫は美しくて可愛らしい。
(Kono koneko wa utsukushikute kawairashii.)
This kitten is beautiful and cute.
- Emphasize with intensifiers: To intensify the expression of beauty, you can use words like “とても (totemo)” or “すごく (sugoku).” These intensifiers emphasize the degree of beauty.
昨夜の花火はとても美しかった！
(Sakuya no hanabi wa totemo utsukushikatta!)
Last night’s fireworks were incredibly beautiful!
Regional Variations
While Japanese is a diverse language, there aren’t many regional variations for expressing beauty. However, regional dialects may have unique ways to describe beauty that reflect local culture and aesthetics. These variations usually occur in informal conversations and differ from standard Japanese.
For instance, in the Kansai dialect (spoken in the Osaka-Kyoto region), people often use the word “綺麗やない (kirei yanai)” instead of “kirei” for saying something is beautiful.
この庭は綺麗やないか？
(Kono niwa wa kirei yanai ka?)
Isn’t this garden beautiful?
Exploring regional variations can offer a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and its linguistic diversity.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you learn various ways to say something is beautiful in Japanese—both formally and informally. Experiment with these expressions and remember that beauty is subjective, so feel free to adapt them to your specific context. Embrace the warm and poetic nuances of the Japanese language as you immerse yourself in its rich beauty vocabulary!
