面白い

• Reading: おもしろい
• Romaji: omoshiroi
• Kanji breakdown: 面 (omo/men) — face, surface; 白 (shiro/haku) — white
• Pronunciation: /o.mo.ɕi.ɾo.i/

Meaning

Interesting; fascinating; funny. Describes things that capture attention or provoke laughter.

An i-adjective with a broad meaning covering both interesting and funny. It can describe an intriguing book, a hilarious comedy, or an engaging conversation. The negative form つまらない serves as its opposite. Conjugates regularly: 面白くない, 面白かった.

Examples

1. この映画はとても面白いです。 This movie is really interesting.
2. 先生の話が面白くて笑いました。 The teacher's story was so funny that I laughed.
3. 面白い本を見つけました。 I found an interesting book.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, conversation, daily life

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Originally meant 'white before one's face' (面 = face, 白い = white), describing the brightness that appears before one's eyes when something captivating is seen. The meaning evolved from visually striking to broadly interesting.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal