可愛らしい

• Reading: かわいらしい
• Romaji: kawairashii
• Kanji breakdown: 可 (ka) — possible; 愛 (ai) — love
• Pronunciation: /ka.wa.i.ɾa.ɕiː/

Meaning

Lovely; sweet; adorable. A slightly more refined way of saying cute.

An i-adjective that conveys a gentle, charming cuteness with a slightly more refined or objective tone than かわいい. Often used by adults to describe children, small things, or delicate beauty. The suffix らしい adds a sense of 'having the quality of' to かわいい.

Examples

1. 可愛らしい花柄のワンピースを買った。 I bought a lovely floral-print dress.
2. その赤ちゃんは本当に可愛らしい顔をしている。 That baby has a truly adorable face.
3. 彼女の可愛らしい声に皆が笑顔になった。 Her sweet voice put a smile on everyone's face.

Usage Guide

Context: appearance, fashion, compliments

Tone: affectionate

Origin & History

Formed from かわいい (kawaii, cute) plus the suffix らしい, which adds the meaning 'having the appearance or quality of.' 可愛 is ateji — kanji assigned for their sounds rather than meaning.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal