小悪魔
Meaning: Little devil — a flirtatious, teasing person (usually female) who charms others with playful and slightly manipulative allure.
小悪魔 describes someone, typically a woman, who has a playful, teasing charm that draws people in. She might give mixed signals, act coy, or use her cuteness strategically. It's generally used with a mix of admiration and exasperation — a 小悪魔 is hard to resist but frustrating to deal with. The related magazine '小悪魔ageha' popularized a specific glamorous style.
Examples
- あの子、小悪魔すぎて男みんな振り回されてる。 那个女生太小恶魔了,男生们全被她耍得团团转。Esa chica es tan diablilla que trae locos a todos los chicos.저 애는 너무 꼬마 악마라서 남자들이 다 휘둘려.
- 小悪魔な笑顔で誘われたら断れないよ。 用小恶魔般的笑容来勾引你,根本没法拒绝。Si te invita con esa sonrisa de diablilla, es imposible decir que no.꼬마 악마 같은 미소로 유혹당하면 거절 못 해.
- 天然なのか小悪魔なのか、本気でわからない。 到底是天然呆还是小恶魔,真的分不清。No sé si lo hace de forma natural o es una diablilla calculadora.천연인 건지 꼬마 악마인 건지, 진심으로 모르겠어.
Pronunciation
/ko.a.ku.ma/
Usage Guide
Context: friends, dating discussion, media
Tone: playful, admiring
✓ Do Say
- あの子まじ小悪魔だよね、モテるわけだ。 (She's such a tease, no wonder she's popular.)那个女生真的太小恶魔了,难怪那么受欢迎。(She's such a tease, no wonder she's popular.)Esa chica es toda una diablilla, con razón es tan popular.저 애 완전 꼬마 악마야, 인기 있을 만하다. (She's such a tease, no wonder she's popular.)
- 小悪魔テクニックって天性のものなのかな。 (I wonder if that flirtatious charm is natural.)小恶魔的撩人技巧是天生的吗?(I wonder if that flirtatious charm is natural.)Me pregunto si ese encanto coqueto es algo innato.꼬마 악마 테크닉은 타고나는 건가. (I wonder if that flirtatious charm is natural.)
✗ Don't Say
- 本人に「小悪魔だね」と言うと計算高いと言ってるように聞こえることも (Calling someone a 小悪魔 to their face can sound like you're calling them manipulative)当面说别人「你好小恶魔啊」可能会让对方觉得你在说她有心计(Calling someone a 小悪魔 to their face can sound like you're calling them manipulative)Decirle «eres una diablilla» a alguien a la cara puede sonar como si le estuvieses llamando calculadora/manipuladora본인에게 직접 '꼬마 악마네'라고 하면 계산적이라는 뜻으로 들릴 수 있다 (面前에서 小悪魔라고 하면 속이 꽉 찬 계산녀라고 하는 것처럼 들릴 수 있음)
Common Mistakes
- Using 小悪魔 for men — while not impossible, it overwhelmingly describes women in Japanese usage
Origin & History
From 小 (small/little) + 悪魔 (devil/demon). The 'little devil' image suggests playful mischief rather than malice. Popularized in the 2000s through fashion magazines like 小悪魔ageha.
Cultural Context
Era: 2000s, popularized by 小悪魔ageha magazine (2005-2014)
Generation: All ages
Social background: Pop culture/fashion
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Associated with a specific feminine charm archetype.
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