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Shayraa .· 5 years ago
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What is kirei in japanese?

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Replying to the question above
Updated on06/24/26

Kirei (きれい / 綺麗) is a Japanese word that commonly means "beautiful," "pretty," "clean," or "tidy." In English, kirei is often used to describe something attractive, pleasant to look at, neat, or well-maintained. It is one of the most frequently used words in the Japanese language and is commonly used in everyday conversations.

About Kirei 

  • Meaning: Beautiful, Pretty, Clean, Tidy

  • Japanese Writing: きれい / 綺麗

  • Word Type: Na-adjective

  • Language: Japanese

  • Common Usage: People, places, objects, nature, and cleanliness

One of the unique aspects of the word kirei is that it can describe both beauty and cleanliness depending on the context. For example, a beautiful flower, a scenic mountain, a clean room, or a clear ocean can all be described as kirei.

Common Examples of Kirei

  • Kirei na hana (きれいな花) – Beautiful flower

  • Kirei na yama (きれいな山) – Beautiful mountain

  • Kirei na heya (きれいな部屋) – Clean room

  • Kirei na umi (きれいな海) – Beautiful sea

In everyday conversation, Japanese speakers often use phrases such as "Kirei desu" (きれいです) to say that something is beautiful, attractive, clean, or pleasant to look at. Because of its versatility, kirei is considered one of the most useful vocabulary words for beginners learning Japanese.

You'll frequently hear and see this word in daily conversations, Japanese textbooks, travel situations, anime, movies, and television shows. Understanding kirei can help learners describe a wide range of things in a natural and meaningful way.

In simple terms, kirei means beautiful, pretty, clean, or tidy in Japanese. The exact meaning depends on the context, but it is generally used to describe something attractive, pleasant, or well-kept.

Read More: What is japanese word for blood?

Tara Verma
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Tara Verma is a practising teacher and education content writer with over 10 years of classroom experience across primary and secondary levels. She holds a Master's degree in Education (M.Ed.) from Delhi University and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from Jamia Millia Islamia — qualifications that ground her writing in both pedagogical theory and the day-to-day realities of teaching in India. Her content covers exam preparation strategies, learning methodologies, curriculum guidance, student mental health, career counselling for students, and the evolving state of school and higher education in India. Her work has appeared on platforms including TeacherVision India, Jagran Josh, and Careers360, where she writes for students, parents, and fellow educators who need content built on actual teaching experience — not theory alone. Over a decade of working directly with students across age groups and learning levels has given Tara a practical understanding of how education content should be written — clearly, accessibly, and with genuine awareness of the challenges students and teachers face on the ground. She has taught 1,000+ students, contributed to school curriculum development initiatives, and published 250+ articles on education across digital platforms. She is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) India. Across all her writing, every recommendation is classroom-tested, every insight comes from direct teaching experience, and every article is held to the same standard she applies in her own classroom — accuracy, clarity, and genuine usefulness for the reader.

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Replying to the question above
Updated on12/22/25

Japanese is a beautiful language and at the same time complicated too. kirei has actually two meaning and it depends on the context where the word is used.It can mean pretty; lovely; beautiful when it is used as an adjective to describe a beautiful girl,things or place. The second meaning is clean, tidy, pure, to describe the neatness of a thing or place. Pronunciation,also is very important in Japanese language kirei if not pronounced in the right manner can end up meaning something else.

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Replying to the question above
Updated on06/03/26

Kirei is a Japanese word that means beautiful. It can also be written as 菫 (pronounced “kirei”) or 麗 (pronounced “rei”). Kirei can appear in many different words and phrases, such as kireibyaku-iri-shuu, which literally translates to "beautiful snow," but is sometimes used to describe a sunset.

In addition to being a concept of beauty, the term kirei also refers specifically to the color blue. Another word for blue in Japanese is 亀色 (kame-iro), which translates similarly by "turquoise".
 
In Japanese culture, blue is considered the color of water, the sky, and summer.
 
Blue is the color of Kirei. It also represents Daidaira (杜鴎羅), or "the spring season". When combined with red and white, it symbolizes the rising sun.
 
"Kirei no hana" (literally "blue flower") appears in a number of different ways throughout Japanese culture:
 
"Kirei-iro no yume e" ("as if enchanted by blue") is used as a greeting instead of a customary "greetings". It's a tongue-in-cheek play on "kirei no yume e" ("enchanting dream") because one can't control their dreams and they become more bizarre as dreams progress. It's also used to say someone looks especially pretty (or handsome) today, even though it is not their birthday.
 
"Kirei" is a commonly used word in manga. In the anime known as Toradora, the main character, Ryūji Takasu, describes Taiga Aisaka (a character with a large forehead and panda-like eyes) as "kirei".He uses this word to describe his friend Minori Kushieda, too, describing her as "kirei-iro". In the movie Tokyo Godfathers (2003), an old man describes the baby that the three main characters are taking care of as "kirei ni aisareta" (they have been loved dearly).
 
Another example is when Taiga calls Ryūji "kirei" for the first time in Shinryaku! Ika Musume episode 11. It was at that moment she started to develop feelings for Ryūji. This indicates she has developed feelings for him because he was able to point her out of her shell.
 
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