Cute in Japanese Calligraphy: 10 Hand-Brushed Designs

可愛い kawaii Cute

The Japanese word kawaii meaning "cute; adorable; charming; lovely; pretty; precious; darling" is written with the kanji 可 meaning "can" and 愛 meaning "love; affection; favorite", which are read together as a single word, 可愛 (read kawai).

Notice that the final "i" in hiragana is optional and the word is written both ways. With the "i" is the more common form, however.

Cute (可愛い) in Block style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Block VB2C

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Block VB2D

Cute (可愛い) in Cursive style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Cursive VC2B

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Cursive VC2C

Cute (可愛い) in Jiun style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Jiun VD2B

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Jiun VD2C

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Jiun VD3B

Cute (可愛い) in Semi-Cursive style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Semi-Cursive VS2C

Cute 可愛い kawaii Vertical Semi-Cursive VS2D

Cute 可愛い kawaii Horizontal Block HB2A

About the Designs

Each design is Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase's hand-brushed calligraphy of the word or phrase on this page, delivered as a PDF you can print. Every PDF includes the line art, so a tattoo artist or a craftsperson can work from the outline as well as the brushed image.

Licensing

Your purchase includes a personal-use license: use the design as a tattoo reference, frame it, engrave it, print it for yourself, or make it into a gift. For more information see Licensing, which also covers commercial-use options that may be purchased separately.

Delivery

Your PDF is available for download the moment your order completes, and a copy is attached to your emailed receipt.

If you need your design again later, ask us for it and we will send it.