“Beautiful” in Japanese is 綺麗 (きれい), pronounced kirei.
Pronunciation
The word has 3 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
Beautiful or pretty, and also clean. A な-adjective despite ending in い. Usually written in hiragana.
Example sentences
- 桜がきれいですね。さくらがきれいですね。The cherry blossoms are beautiful.
- 部屋をきれいにしました。へやをきれいにしました。I cleaned up my room.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 綺麗. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | 綺麗な〜 きれいな〜 | beautiful (thing) |
| Polite present | 綺麗です きれいです | is beautiful |
| Negative | 綺麗じゃないです きれいじゃないです | isn’t beautiful |
| Past | 綺麗でした きれいでした | was beautiful |
| Past negative | 綺麗じゃなかったです きれいじゃなかったです | wasn’t beautiful |
| Adverb (に) | 綺麗に きれいに | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say beautiful in Japanese?
Beautiful in Japanese is 綺麗 (きれい), pronounced “kirei”.
How do you write beautiful in Japanese?
It's written 綺麗 with kanji, or きれい in hiragana. Both are read kirei.
Is 綺麗 on the JLPT?
Yes. 綺麗 (kirei) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.