Word in Japanese/virtue
Beautiful in Japanese
Beautiful translates as 美しい (utsukushii). Below is a full breakdown with stroke counts, alternate writings, an example sentence, and tattoo design notes.
What it means
美しい (utsukushii, うつくしい) means beautiful, beauty.
| Kanji | Meaning | Strokes | On'yomi | Kun'yomi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 美 | beauty, beautiful | 9 | bi, mi | utsuku(shii) |
Alternate writings
Japanese often offers more than one valid kanji for a concept. The alternates below carry slightly different nuance — read them carefully before choosing.
the noun form: beauty as an aesthetic concept
pretty, clean, also commonly written in hiragana as きれい
Compounds and related words
Common Japanese vocabulary built around this kanji.
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 美術 | bijutsu | fine art |
| 美人 | bijin | a beautiful person, traditionally a beautiful woman |
| 美徳 | bitoku | virtue |
| 完美 | kanbi | perfection, perfect beauty |
Example sentence
桜はとても美しいです。
Sakura wa totemo utsukushii desu.
Cherry blossoms are very beautiful.
Tattoo design notes
美 alone is the cleanest tattoo choice and conveys beauty as an abstract noun. The full adjective 美しい (utsukushii) requires the kanji plus three hiragana, which most English speakers do not want for a tattoo. 美 carries strong cultural weight as it appears in art, calligraphy, and aesthetics terminology.
Cultural notes
美 originally depicted a person wearing a sheep headdress, considered beautiful in ancient China. In Japan it appears in nearly every compound related to art, beauty industries, and aesthetic philosophy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say beautiful in Japanese?
Beautiful in Japanese is 美しい, romanised as utsukushii and written in hiragana as うつくしい. 美 originally depicted a person wearing a sheep headdress, considered beautiful in ancient China. In Japan it appears in nearly every compound related to art, beauty industries, and aesthetic philosophy.
What does the kanji 美しい mean?
美 means "beauty, beautiful" (9 strokes; on'yomi: bi, mi; kun'yomi: utsuku(shii)). Together the word reads as utsukushii.
What is the difference between 美しい and 美?
美しい (utsukushii) is the standard form: 美 originally depicted a person wearing a sheep headdress, considered beautiful in ancient China. In Japan it appears in nearly every compound related to art, beauty industries, and aesthetic philosophy.. 美 (bi) is different — the noun form: beauty as an aesthetic concept. Pick based on the exact nuance you want to convey.
Is 美しい a good kanji for a tattoo?
美 alone is the cleanest tattoo choice and conveys beauty as an abstract noun. The full adjective 美しい (utsukushii) requires the kanji plus three hiragana, which most English speakers do not want for a tattoo. 美 carries strong cultural weight as it appears in art, calligraphy, and aesthetics terminology.
How do you write beautiful in hiragana?
In hiragana, beautiful is written as うつくしい, which represents the sound utsukushii. The kanji form 美しい is used in everyday writing; hiragana is used when the kanji is too difficult, for emphasis, or in children's text.
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