Japanese dictionary
How to say "cute" in Japanese
かわいいかわいい · kawaii
"Cute" in Japanese is かわいい (kawaii). It is used for babies, animals, clothes, characters and much more.
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Ways to say "cute" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| かわいいかわいい · kawaii | Cute. |
| かわいらしいかわいらしい · kawairashii | Lovely; charming. |
How to use it
かわいい is an i-adjective: かわいい犬 (a cute dog), かわいかった (was cute).
The kanji form 可愛い exists, but hiragana is more common.
Example sentences
- この犬はかわいいですね。Kono inu wa kawaii desu ne.This dog is cute.
- かわいい赤ちゃんですね。Kawaii akachan desu ne.What a cute baby.
- このキャラクター、かわいいですね。Kono kyarakutā, kawaii desu ne.This character is cute, isn't it?
- かわいいお土産を買いました。Kawaii omiyage o kaimashita.I bought a cute souvenir.
- そのかばん、かわいいですね。Sono kaban, kawaii desu ne.That bag is cute.
- 子どものころの写真がかわいかったです。Kodomo no koro no shashin ga kawaikatta desu.Your childhood photo was so cute.
Questions
Can かわいい describe things, not just people?
Yes. かわいい (kawaii) is used for animals, clothes, food, stationery and designs, not only people.
Is it OK to call an adult かわいい?
Among friends it is usually a compliment. At work, especially about a coworker's looks, it can be inappropriate, so be careful.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.