1.
lovely, sweet, adorable
Charmingly attractive in an endearing way.
かわいらしい花。
Pretty flowers.
かわいらしい笑顔だね。
What a lovely smile.
彼女はかわいらしい声で歌った。
She sang in a sweet voice.
可愛らしい is an i-adjective meaning lovely, sweet, or endearingly cute, with a slightly more refined nuance than かわいい.
FORMS:
- Adverb: 可愛らしく (sweetly, endearingly)
- Noun form: 可愛らしさ (sweetness, loveliness)
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 可愛らしい女の子: a sweet girl
- 可愛らしい笑顔: a lovely smile
- 可愛らしい花: pretty flowers
- 可愛らしい仕草: charming gestures
- 可愛らしい声: a sweet voice
WORD FORMATION:
かわいい + らしい (suffix indicating 'seeming like') = more emphatic and refined sense of cuteness.
COMPARISON:
- かわいい: cute (general, casual, versatile)
- 可愛らしい: sweet, endearing (more refined, emphasizes charm)
- 愛らしい: lovable, charming (literary)
USAGE NOTE:
可愛らしい is often used in more formal or literary contexts and by adults. It implies a genuine appreciation of charm rather than the casual exclamation of かわいい. The kanji spelling 可愛らしい is common in writing, while hiragana かわいらしい is also widely used.