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Meaning of "kawaii" in the English dictionary

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DICTIONARY
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ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD KAWAII

Japanese: cute, from ka acceptable + ai love.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF KAWAII

kawaii  [kɑːˈwaɪɪ] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF KAWAII

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Kawaii can act as a noun and an adjective.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES KAWAII MEAN IN ENGLISH?

kawaii

Kawaii

Kawaii is the quality of cuteness in the context of Japanese culture. It has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms. The noun is kawaisa. The root word is "kawai", formed from the kanji "ka", meaning "acceptable", and "ai", meaning "love". The kanji spelling is ateji, that is, a phonetic representation not related to the origin or meaning of the word. For that reason, it is often spelled in hiragana. The term kawaii has taken on the secondary meanings of "cool", "groovy", "acceptable", "desirable", "charming" "non-threatening", and "innocence".

Definition of kawaii in the English dictionary

The definition of kawaii in the dictionary is denoting a Japanese artistic and cultural style that emphasizes the quality of cuteness, using bright colours and characters with a childlike appearance. Other definition of kawaii is the quality of being lovable or cute.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH KAWAII


Hawaii
həˈwaɪɪ
skiey
ˈskaɪɪ
skyey
ˈskaɪɪ

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE KAWAII

kauri
kauri gum
kauru
kava
kavass
Kaveri
Kavir Desert
kawa
Kawabata
kawakawa
kawanatanga
Kawasaki
Kawasaki´s disease
kawau
Kay
kayak
kayaker
kayle
kaylied

WORDS THAT END LIKE KAWAII

aalii
Aquarii
congii
denarii
Falerii
genii
Helvetii
Horatii
leylandii
nauplii
petitio principii
Pompeii
radii
retiarii
Sagittarii
Salii
Savaii
Scorpii
torii
Veii

Synonyms and antonyms of kawaii in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «kawaii» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF KAWAII

Find out the translation of kawaii to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of kawaii from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «kawaii» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

卡哇伊
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

kawaii
570 millions of speakers

English

kawaii
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

Kawaii
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

KAWAII
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

каваи
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

kawaii
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

kawaii
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

kawaii
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Kawaii
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

kawaii
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

カワイイ
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

귀엽다
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Kawaii
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

Kawaii
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

Kawaii
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

कवाई
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

kawaii
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

kawaii
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

kawaii
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

Каваї
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

kawaii
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

kawaii
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

Kawaii
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

kawaii
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

kawaii
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of kawaii

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «KAWAII»

The term «kawaii» is very widely used and occupies the 14.778 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
93
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «kawaii» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of kawaii
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «kawaii».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «KAWAII» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «kawaii» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «kawaii» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about kawaii

EXAMPLES

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «KAWAII»

Discover the use of kawaii in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to kawaii and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Kawaii Not: Cute Gone Bad
This collection features 100 original comics from the hysterical Kawaii Not comic strip, which depicts cute versions of everyday objects doing and saying some crazy stuff.
Meghan Murphy, 2008
2
The Cool-Kawaii: Afro-Japanese Aesthetics and New World ...
The Cool-Kawaii: Afro-Japanese Aesthetics and New World Modernity, by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein, analyzes these attitudes and explains the intrinsic powers that are leading to a fusion of both aesthetics.
Thorsten Botz-Bornstein, 2012
3
I Love Kawaii
Charuca begins each chapter with a small description of the artist and her feelings towards his or her work, creating an artistic dialogue spoken mainly through the loud, brightly full-colored images that flood each page.
Charuca, 2012
4
Manga for the Beginner Kawaii: How to Draw the Supercute ...
By the end of this big book, the new artist is ready to draw dramatic story sequences full of movement and life. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Christopher Hart, 2012
5
Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go
Provides recipes and menus for bento boxes, which are Japanese home-packed meals usually consisting of rice, fish, and meat.
Joie Staff, Mieko Baba, 2009
6
Kawaii Not, Too: Cute Gets Badder
Subversive four-panel comics that combine Japanese-inspired cute with clever quirkiness of everyday objects saying not-so-adorable things. Stickers and a built-in easel make this ideal for sharing.
Meghan Murphy, 2012
7
Hello, Please!: Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan
Presents examples of the common "super cute" comic art characters used in Japanese advertisements, signs, and public service announcements.
Matt Alt, Hiroko Yoda, 2007
8
Kawaii!: Japan's Culture of Cute
Showcasing Japan's astonishingly varied culture of cute, this volume takes the reader on a dazzling and adorable visual journey through all things kawaii.
Manami Okazaki, 2013
9
Sew Kawaii!: 22 Simple Sewing Projects for Cool Kids of All Ages
Kawaii has grown all over the world to inspire cute, iconic characters that are eye-catching in their simplicity. This book is packed with super-cute sewing projects that you'll actually want to make!
Choly Knight, 2011
10
Graphic Japan: From Woodblock and Zen to Manga and Kawaii
Japanese design embodies the holy grail of creative freedom and commercial success?this book is an inspirational ?must? for designers in the West.
Natalie Avella, 2004

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «KAWAII»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term kawaii is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Hello Kitty Supercute Friendship Festival launches in Vancouver …
Hello Kitty is the brainchild of Sanrio, a company known for making kawaii products. Kawaii means "cute" in Japanese, and is a subculture that ... «CBC.ca, Jul 15»
2
My Knit Boutique for iPhone & iPad - App Info & Stats | iOSnoops
How about a mustachioed bunny rabbit? Or a Kawaii cupcake? The possibilities are endless! - Michelle is the best window dresser in the city! «iOSnoops, Jul 15»
3
U.S. getting a shot of 'kawaii' culture with photo sticker booths from …
OSAKA--There is still life in the Print Club phenomenon that took Japan by storm 20 years ago. Back in the day, it was all the rage for junior and ... «Asahi Shimbun, Jul 15»
4
How to Parent like the Japanese Do | TIME
The cute and cuddly stuff—the cartoony culture of kawaii that is everywhere—helps balance things out. Take flowers seriously: Making a picnic ... «TIME, Jul 15»
5
Cute 'sea bunnies' become viral sensation in Japan - Telegraph
... to have fluffy "coats" and delicate ears that have really triggered the fascination in Japan - a nation notorious for its love of "kawaii", or "cute". «Telegraph.co.uk, Jul 15»
6
7 Best Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Collaborations …
Picking apart the trademark LV all-over logo print, he reassembled it as a kawaii dream. Using the vivid color palette and playful style that he's ... «Highsnobiety, Jul 15»
7
Hello kitties! Cat café — yes, a cat café — is coming to Philly
PHILADELPHIA — The Kawaii Kitty Cafe, coming soon to Philadelphia, will bring a cute Japanese trend to the city, according to ... «NJ.com, Jul 15»
8
Hyper Japan 2015: Here are 9 of the weirdest things we saw
Stall owners in the Kawaii section jumped at the opportunity to transform our reporter, Laura Dennison, into a Sweet Lolita. Hyper Japan Sweet ... «BT.com, Jul 15»
9
The crisis of democracy in Japan
... omotenashi, kawaii, and the democratic social movement. Omotenashi, manga and Japanese culture have been deeply rooted in the lives ... «Open Democracy, Jul 15»
10
Get Your Feline Fix With These Adorable Cat Animations From …
In contrast to the CG plans for the caterpillar short, these draw on traditional Japanese sumi-e ink wash paintings. But with a kawaii (cute) ... «Huffington Post, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Kawaii [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/kawaii>. Apr 2024 ».
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