1.
innocent; naive; artless; childlike
Having a pure, unspoiled quality free from malice or cunning. Describes someone, typically a child, who acts naturally without hidden motives. Generally positive or endearing.
子どもたちが無邪気に遊んでいる。
The children are playing innocently.
無邪気な笑顔に癒された。
I was comforted by the innocent smile.
彼女は大人になっても無邪気なところがあって、周りの人に好かれている。
Even as an adult, she has an innocent quality that makes people around her fond of her.
USAGE:
Usually positive, describing a charming lack of guile. Most often said about children, but can describe adults with a childlike openness. Occasionally used with a slightly critical nuance when someone is obliviously naive in a situation that calls for caution.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 無邪気な笑顔 (an innocent smile)
- 無邪気に笑う (to laugh innocently)
- 無邪気な子ども (an innocent child)
- 無邪気な質問 (an innocent question)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 純真: pure; innocent — emphasizes moral purity and sincerity, slightly more literary
- 天真爛漫: naive and carefree — stronger emphasis on being uninhibited and spontaneous