デフォルメ
でふぉるめ
noun, verb (suru)
stylized exaggeration, deformation
1.
stylized exaggeration, artistic deformation
The deliberate distortion or simplification of shapes in art, especially making characters or objects look cute, exaggerated, or cartoonish. Common in manga, anime, and character design.
デフォルメされたキャラクター。
A stylized/deformed character.
この絵は動物をデフォルメして描いている。
This picture depicts animals in a stylized way.
頭が大きくて体が小さいデフォルメキャラは日本のグッズでよく見かける。
Stylized characters with big heads and small bodies are commonly seen on Japanese merchandise.
ORIGIN:
From French "déformer" (to deform). In Japanese, the word has taken on a positive, artistic connotation rather than the negative "deformity" meaning.
MEANING IN CONTEXT:
In Japanese art terminology, デフォルメ refers to intentional, creative distortion — making characters cuter (頭身を低くする, reducing the head-to-body ratio), exaggerating features for humor, or simplifying designs for merchandise. It does not carry the negative connotation of "deformed" in English.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- デフォルメキャラ: stylized/chibi character
- デフォルメされた: stylized, artistically exaggerated
- 二頭身デフォルメ: two-heads-tall deformation (chibi style)
- デフォルメ表現: stylized expression/depiction