微笑ましい

• 読み: ほほえましい
• ローマ字: hohoemashii
• 漢字の分解: 微笑 (hohoemi) — gentle smile; ましい (suffix) — worthy of, fitting
• 発音: /hohoemäɕiː/

意味

Heartwarming; endearing; charming in a way that brings a smile to the face.

An i-adjective derived from 微笑む (to smile gently) plus the suffix ましい (fitting, worthy of). It describes scenes or behaviours — typically involving children, animals, or elderly people — that naturally evoke a warm, tender smile in the observer. The response is gentle and affectionate rather than amused or laughing.

例文

1. 子どもたちが手をつないで一列に歩く姿が微笑ましかった。
2. 老夫婦が寄り添って縁側に座る微笑ましい光景に心が和んだ。
3. 初めてのお使いを懸命にこなす子どもの姿は本当に微笑ましい。

使い方ガイド

場面: children, family, elderly, nature, community

トーン: warm

起源と歴史

Derived from 微笑む (to smile softly; itself from 微 meaning slight and 笑む meaning to smile) combined with the suffix ましい (worthy of, fitting to). The compound captures the quality of something that fittingly draws out a gentle smile.

文化的背景

時代: Modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal