Cute

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Cute is an English word similar to the Japanese word "kawaii" (可愛い) and can also be used like koumyou (巧妙), or namaiki (生意気) in certain contexts. Despite this word being from English, it is sometimes used in Japanese media as well or with katakana キュート (Kyūto in Hepburn romanisation).

Sanrio may use the word cute or a word derived from it, sometimes alongside the Japanese kawaii; like in Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures.

In Japan[edit | edit source]

The Japanese name of Hello Kitty's Cube Frenzy is "ハローキティのCube de Cute" (Hello Kitty's Cute Cubes).

"Cute" may be used in Japan as an advertising strategy to stand out[1], since borrowing English words (see gairaigo and wasei-eigo) is common in Japan. A famous example of the use of "Cute" in Japan is in the name of a former idol group called ℃-ute.



References[edit source]

  1. "THE LANGUAGE OF CUTENESS IN JAPANESE ADVERTISING DISCOURSE: THE KAWAII PHENOMENA"/Oana-Maria Bîrlea/"Babeș-Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca BDD-V4873/© 2019 Arhipelag XXI Press