あどけない

あどけない
i-adjective
innocent; childlike; artless
descriptive
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Presentあどけないあどけなくない
Pastあどけなかったあどけなくなかった
て formあどけなくてあどけなくなくて
Adverbialあどけなく
Conditional ばあどけなければあどけなくなければ
Conditional たらあどけなかったらあどけなくなかったら
1. innocent; childlike
Having an innocent, pure quality typically associated with young children; lacking worldliness or guile.
Children with innocent smiles were playing.
There's still an innocent expression remaining (on their face).
I was gazed at with innocent eyes.
  • あどけない → あどけなく (adverbial)
  • あどけない → あどけなくない (negative)
  • あどけない → あどけなかった (past)
  • あどけない → あどけなさ (noun form)

Usage

Typically describes children or young people, or adults who have retained a childlike quality. Often used positively to describe a pure, unspoiled quality.
Carries a warm, affectionate tone. Unlike 無邪気(むじゃき) (innocent/naive), あどけない specifically emphasizes the visual appearance of innocence — it describes how someone looks, not how they behave.

Common collocations