How to pronounce kawaii
Say it like kuh-WY-ee. Kawaii has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WY).
- kuh
- WY
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Kawaii pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- WYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of kawaii
American and British speakers say kawaii in essentially the same way: /kəˈwaɪi/ in the US and /kəˈwaɪi/ in the UK.
British respelling: kuh-WY-ee.
What does kawaii mean?
- Cute, adorable.“She bought a kawaii keychain shaped like a kitten.”
- The quality of being kawaii; cuteness.
- The style or culture of cuteness“Her room is full of kawaii, with pastel plushies, anime posters, and cute stationery.”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- kawaiiness
Words that rhyme with kawaii
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of kawaii.
Questions about saying kawaii
How do you pronounce kawaii?
Say kuh-WY-ee. The American pronunciation is /kəˈwaɪi/. In British English it is /kəˈwaɪi/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in kawaii?
Kawaii has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (WY). Broken into parts: kuh · WY · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say kawaii the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kəˈwaɪi/ and the British form is /kəˈwaɪi/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.