柔らかい

• Reading: やわらかい
• Romaji: yawarakai
• Kanji breakdown: 柔 (juu/yawa) — soft, flexible
• Pronunciation: /ja.wa.ɾa.ka.i/

Meaning

Soft; tender; flexible. Describes something that yields easily to pressure or touch.

An i-adjective describing physical softness. Used for textures (柔らかいパン — soft bread), food (柔らかい肉 — tender meat), and materials (柔らかい布 — soft cloth). Also used figuratively: 柔らかい表現 (a gentle expression), 柔らかい光 (soft light). The variant 柔かい exists but 柔らかい is the standard form.

Examples

1. このパンはとても柔らかくておいしい。 This bread is very soft and delicious.
2. 赤ちゃんの肌は柔らかい。 A baby's skin is soft.
3. この肉は長く煮たので柔らかくなった。 This meat became tender because it was simmered for a long time.

Usage Guide

Context: food, texture, materials

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 柔 combines 矛 (spear/weapon) with 木 (tree), suggesting the flexible quality of a wooden handle — something that bends without breaking.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal