愛(あい)くるしい

あいくるしい
i-adjective
adorable; charming; sweet
descriptiveemotion
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present愛(あい)くるしい愛(あい)くるしくない
Past愛(あい)くるしかった愛(あい)くるしくなかった
て form愛(あい)くるしくて愛(あい)くるしくなくて
Adverbial愛(あい)くるしく—
Conditional ば愛(あい)くるしければ愛(あい)くるしくなければ
Conditional たら愛(あい)くるしかったら愛(あい)くるしくなかったら
1. adorable; charming; endearingly cute
Describes someone or something that inspires warm affection through their cuteness or innocence. Stronger and more heartfelt than かわいい, often implying a desire to cherish or protect.
赤(あか)ちゃんの愛(あい)くるしい笑顔(えがお)に癒(いや)された。
I was comforted by the baby's adorable smile.
子猫(こねこ)が愛(あい)くるしい目(め)でこちらを見(み)つめていた。
The kitten was gazing at me with its charming eyes.
幼(おさな)い子供(こども)たちが愛(あい)くるしい声(こえ)で歌(うた)を歌(うた)っている姿(すがた)を見(み)て、思(おも)わず微笑(ほほえ)んだ。
I couldn't help smiling when I saw the little children singing in their sweet voices.

Usage

A literary, slightly elevated alternative to かわいい. Most often used to describe babies, small children, and baby animals. Less commonly used for adults. Appears more in written language and narration than in casual speech.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • かわいい: cute — the general, everyday word for cuteness; broader in usage
  • 愛(あい)らしい: lovely, charming — similar to 愛(あい)くるしい but slightly more refined and elegant

Related Words

Synonym: かわいい (cute (everyday))
Synonym: 愛(あい)らしい (lovely, charming)
general
Added 2026.3.20 21:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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