スタイルいい
Meaning
Great figure or physique — a compliment about someone's body proportions or overall physical appearance.
Combines the English loanword スタイル (style, but meaning 'figure/proportions' in Japanese) with いい (good). In Japanese, スタイル refers specifically to body shape and proportions rather than fashion style. A common compliment meaning someone has an attractive figure — tall, well-proportioned, or fit. Used for both men and women, though more commonly directed at women.
Examples
- モデルさんみたいにスタイルいいね。 You've got a figure like a model!
- スタイルいい人って何着ても似合うよね。 People with a great figure look good in anything, right?
- ジム通い始めてからスタイルいいって言われるようになった。 Ever since I started going to the gym, people have been telling me I've got a great figure.
Usage Guide
Context: friends, casual conversation, social media
Tone: complimentary, admiring
Do Say
- あの人スタイルいいから何着ても映える。 (They have such a great figure that everything looks good on them.)
- 最近スタイルよくなったね、何かやってる？ (Your figure has gotten better recently, are you doing something?)
Don't Say
- 初対面で体型について「スタイルいい」と言うのは馴れ馴れしい (Commenting on a stranger's figure with 'sutairu ii' is overly familiar)
Common Mistakes
- Assuming スタイル means 'fashion style' like in English — in Japanese it specifically means body proportions/figure
- Using it too freely about someone's body in professional contexts — it can be inappropriate
Origin & History
From English 'style,' but in Japanese the meaning shifted to specifically refer to body proportions and figure. This usage has been common since the postwar era. The abbreviated スタイルいい form is standard in casual conversation.
Cultural Context
Era: Postwar loanword, continuously popular
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The meaning of スタイル as 'figure' rather than 'fashion' is a common false friend for English speakers.
Related Phrases
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