(こあくま)

こあくま
noun
little devil; femme fatale; coquette
1. little devil; imp
A small devil or demon. The literal meaning of the compound.
物語(ものがたり)小悪魔(こあくま)登場(とうじょう)する。
A little devil appears in the story.
ハロウィンで小悪魔(こあくま)のコスプレをした。
I dressed up as a little devil for Halloween.
彼女(かのじょ)のそのかわいい笑顔(えがお)がまるで小悪魔(こあくま)のようだ。
That cute smile of hers is like a little devil's.
2. coquette; playful temptress; someone with devilish charm
A person, typically a woman, who is flirtatious and charmingly mischievous, captivating others with a mix of innocence and seductiveness. Used with an admiring or playful nuance rather than a truly negative one.
彼女(かのじょ)のそのかわいい笑顔(えがお)がまるで小悪魔(こあくま)のようだ。
That cute smile of hers is like a little devil's.
彼女(かのじょ)小悪魔(こあくま)(てき)魅力(みりょく)がある。
She has a devilishly charming appeal.
小悪魔(こあくま)メイクが流行(りゅうこう)している。
The 'little devil' makeup style is trending.
あの女優(じょゆう)小悪魔(こあくま)キャラで人気(にんき)(あつ)めている。
That actress is popular for her playfully mischievous character.

USAGE:
Sense 2 is the more common modern usage. Popular in fashion, beauty, and entertainment contexts to describe a type of feminine charm that combines cuteness with playful seductiveness. Often used as a modifier: 小悪魔(こあくま)(てき) (devilishly charming), 小悪魔(こあくま)メイク (little-devil-style makeup).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 小悪魔(こあくま)(てき) (devilishly charming)
  • 小悪魔(こあくま)メイク (coquettish makeup)
  • 小悪魔(こあくま)キャラ (flirty character type)
  • 小悪魔(こあくま)女子(じょし) (a coquettish girl)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 魔性(ましょう): bewitching nature — stronger and more serious; implies dangerous allure
  • あざとい: calculating cuteness — describes deliberately cute behavior to get what one wants