Cute vs. Kawaii

The Kokubunji International Association website

A presentation for the Kokubunji International Association, Tokyo, Japan, February 17, 2018.

In English you can say: “Don’t be cute!” It’s a common expression used when someone is being too clever. You can use it even if that person is not cute at all. Kawaii is different. Kawaii comes from the earlier kawayui, meaning pitiable or vulnerable. But the modern kawaii does not have that meaning anymore; at least, not the same as cute can mean clever. No one would say: “Don’t be kawaii!” Plus, you can’t look at something that is pitiful but not kawaii and call it kawaii.