可爱 kě'ài cute
cute; lovable; likable; lovely
How to remember 可爱: 可 may + 爱 love = cute.
Characters
How it is used
- Cute, adorable, endearing - 这只猫很可爱 (zhè zhī māo hěn kě'ài) this cat is so cute; used of children, animals, and charming people.
- Literally 'able to be loved' (可 able + 爱 love) - describes what draws affection, not physical beauty. For 'beautiful' use 漂亮 (piàoliang) or 美 (měi).
- Note the apostrophe in pinyin kě'ài, marking the syllable break before ài.
Example sentences
- 真可爱！ Zhēn kěài!How cute!
- 她很可爱。 Tā hěn kěài.She is very pretty.
- 那个小孩好可爱。 Nàge xiǎohái hǎo kě'ài.That child is really cute.
- 他们的女儿很可爱。 Tāmen de nǚ'ér hěn kě'ài.Their daughter is lovely.