Japanese Words & Expressions

+ Pretty; Sweet; Cute +

One of the top search terms (Japanese words) is this:

kawaii
かわいい
可愛い

Meaning:

pretty; sweet; cute

Pronunciation:

The pronunciation for this word can be either "ka-wa-ee" or "ka-wa-i-i," but the first one sounds more natural (and casual).

If you are English speakers, try to read the word this way: "kah-wah-ee." The first two vowel sounds have to be shorter than the last one here. The "ee" is like meet

Tips:

Almost all Japanese women would love to hear this word, so if you have any Japanese friend, you may want to use this word to make her happy. There might be some devious girls who might take this word as some kind of harassment, but I think it's extremely rare.

The word "kawaii" is a very useful adjective. You can use it for flowers, animals (pets), clothes, hairsyles, accessories, names, how a person talks, and such. Note that unlike the English word "cute," the Japanese word "kawaii" is rarely used to describe men (except babies and young boys).

Usage Examples:

kawaii neko
かわいいねこ
可愛い猫
(a cute cat)

kawaii hana
かわいいはな
可愛い花
(a cute flower)

kawaii fuku
かわいいふく
可愛い服
(cute clothes [dress])

Back to the Words List page

Disclaimer:
I make reasonable efforts to provide you with correct information; however, there might be some mistakes. Please use the information provided on this site with your own responsibilities. I make no guarantees regarding any information posted in the Site, and I assume no liability or responsibility for any inaccuracies, delays, damages, errors or omissions relating to the posting, transmission, delivery or content of the Site.

Click Here to Buy Movie Posters!

Contents

Japanese Words & Expressions

+ Pretty; Sweet; Cute +