カッコいい
Significado: Cool; attractive; stylish — the go-to word for expressing admiration for someone or something's appearance or manner.
カッコいい (also written as 格好いい or かっこいい) is one of the most fundamental and widely used Japanese expressions. It can describe a person's looks, fashion, behaviour, skills, or even objects like cars and buildings. While it literally means 'good appearance,' its usage extends far beyond physical attractiveness to encompass anything that evokes admiration or coolness. It crossed from casual speech to mainstream in the 1980s.
Ejemplos
- あの人めっちゃカッコいいんだけど、誰？ 那个人也太帅了吧，是谁啊？Esa persona es superguay, ¿quién es?저 사람 엄청 멋있는데, 누구야?
- その車カッコいいね、新しく買ったの？ 那辆车好酷啊，新买的吗？Qué coche más guay, ¿te lo acabas de comprar?그 차 멋있다, 새로 산 거야?
- カッコいいこと言ってるけど行動が伴ってないよね。 话说得倒是很漂亮，但行动跟不上啊。Dices cosas muy guays, pero no las llevas a la práctica, ¿eh?멋진 말은 하는데 행동이 안 따르잖아.
Pronunciación
/kak.ko.iː/
Guía de uso
Contexto: friends, dating, fashion, entertainment, everyday life
Tono: admiring, enthusiastic, complimentary
✓ Correcto
- カッコいい生き方してるよね、尊敬するわ。 (You live such a cool life — I really respect that.)你活得真潇洒，我很敬佩。Llevas una vida muy guay, te admiro de verdad.멋있는 삶 살고 있네, 존경해. (정말 멋있게 사는 것 같아 — 진심으로 존경해.)
- その髪型カッコいいね、似合ってるよ。 (That hairstyle looks cool on you — it really suits you.)那个发型很帅啊，很适合你。Ese peinado te queda genial, te sienta muy bien.그 헤어스타일 멋있다, 잘 어울려. (그 머리 멋있네 — 진짜 잘 어울려.)
✗ Incorrecto
- 女性に「カッコいい」は文脈次第 — 褒め言葉にもなるが「可愛くない」と受け取られることも (Calling a woman カッコいい depends on context — it can be a compliment but may be taken as 'not cute')对女性说'カッコいい'要看场合——可以是赞美，但也可能被理解为'不可爱'。Decirle カッコいい a una mujer depende del contexto: puede ser un cumplido, pero también interpretarse como «no eres mona».여성에게 「カッコいい」는 맥락에 따라 다르다 — 칭찬이 될 수도 있지만 '귀엽지 않다'로 받아들여질 수도 있다 (여성에게 カッコいい라고 하는 것은 상황에 따라 다르다 — 칭찬이 될 수 있지만 '귀엽지 않다'는 뜻으로 들릴 수도 있다)
Errores comunes
- Limiting カッコいい to physical appearance — it is used equally for behaviour, skills, objects, ideas, and lifestyles that inspire admiration
Origen e historia
From 格好 (kakkō, appearance/form) + いい (ii, good). Originally standard Japanese meaning 'good-looking,' it became a cornerstone slang expression in the 1980s as youth culture adopted it as the primary word for 'cool.' Now fully mainstream across all generations.
Contexto cultural
Era: 1980s mainstream adoption, now universal
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used absolutely everywhere in Japan. One of the first Japanese words many foreigners learn. The feminine counterpart is カワイイ (cute), though the gender associations of both terms are evolving.
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