1.
little devil; imp
A small devil or demon. The literal meaning of the compound.
物語に小悪魔が登場する。
A little devil appears in the story.
ハロウィンで小悪魔のコスプレをした。
I dressed up as a little devil for Halloween.
彼女のそのかわいい笑顔がまるで小悪魔のようだ。
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.
彼女のそのかわいい笑顔がまるで小悪魔のようだ。
That cute smile of hers is like a little devil's.
彼女は小悪魔的な魅力がある。
She has a devilishly charming appeal.
小悪魔メイクが流行している。
The 'little devil' makeup style is trending.
あの女優は小悪魔キャラで人気を集めている。
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: 小悪魔的 (devilishly charming), 小悪魔メイク (little-devil-style makeup).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 小悪魔的 (devilishly charming)
- 小悪魔メイク (coquettish makeup)
- 小悪魔キャラ (flirty character type)
- 小悪魔女子 (a coquettish girl)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 魔性: bewitching nature — stronger and more serious; implies dangerous allure
- あざとい: calculating cuteness — describes deliberately cute behavior to get what one wants