How Do You Pronounce This Word?

DannysGhostGirl · (#1 (**permalink**))

In Japanese, the word "Kawaii" means cute. How do you pronounce Kawaii?
Is it prononunced like "kwhy?" or does it ryhme with "Hawaii?"
Thank You!!!

DivineBled · (#2 (**permalink**))

I'm going to separate it for you:

Kawaii- (adj.) cute, adorable

pronunciation: (keh-y-ee)

**Hope this helps**

Retrogamer77 · (#3 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivineBled

I'm going to separate it for you:

Kawaii- (adj.) cute, adorable

pronunciation: (keh-y-ee)

**Hope this helps**

Um...I think Kuh-Wa-yee is more like it. lol.

DivineBled · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retrogamer77

Um...I think Kuh-Wa-yee is more like it. lol.

nope. lol I pronounced it correctly. It also depends on the dialect

Hatredcopter · (#5 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivineBled

nope. lol I pronounced it correctly. It also depends on the dialect

No, you really didn't.

MMM · (#6 (**permalink**))

It is pronounced the same in any dialect...

(With an American accent):

Ka (as in the first syllable of "cotton")

wa (as in the first syllable of "Washington")

ii (as in the first syllable of "east" but extended to twice as long.)

KAWAII has four syllables in Japanese: Ka-Wa-I-I. Each should be spoken for the same length of time.

Nattybumppo · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivineBled

I'm going to separate it for you:

Kawaii- (adj.) cute, adorable

pronunciation: (keh-y-ee)

**Hope this helps**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retrogamer77

Um...I think Kuh-Wa-yee is more like it. lol.

In the case the OP is confused at this point: both of the posters I quoted are wrong, and should really go back to studying Japanese pronunciation if they're making mistakes this simple.

MMM's explanation is right.

ikkim · (#8 (**permalink**))

KA-WA-I~.
will be ok

Retrogamer77 · (#9 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nattybumppo

In the case the OP is confused at this point: both of the posters I quoted are wrong, and should really go back to studying Japanese pronunciation if they're making mistakes this simple.

MMM's explanation is right.

Well, I was assuming the OP wasn't studying Japanese, otherwise they would have known how to pronounce it in the first place. If I had put Ka-Wa-I-I, it might not have come out right on the other end. I have dealt with people who just can't pronounce it the right way with the right phonetic spelling. And it's a lot harder to do over the internet. The real point is, I know how to pronounce the word among other things. Japanese isn't quite the hardest language phonetically.

MazarDantechildofdevil · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivineBled

I'm going to separate it for you:

Kawaii- (adj.) cute, adorable

pronunciation: (keh-y-ee)

**Hope this helps**

In other words... Yes it rhymes with Hawaii... lmao... Dangit... You should've just told him that...