Describes a person or animal that is mentally sharp, quick-witted, or shows good judgment. Can be used for both natural intelligence and sensible behavior.
He is a very bright student.
That dog is clever and learns tricks quickly.
Especially for children and pets, often with the honorific prefix お (お利口). Implies being quiet, following rules, and not causing trouble.
See also: お利口
Sit still and be good, okay?
My child is well-behaved and always plays quietly.
He worked things cleverly and got in his boss's good graces.
My dog always behaves nicely.
That can't really be called a clever approach.
利口 often implies cleverness or shrewdness, sometimes with a hint of being crafty, whereas 賢明 emphasizes wise, well-judged decisions.
利口 is a common everyday word for cleverness or shrewdness, while 発明 as an adjective in this sense is old-fashioned and rarely used now.
利口 is a common na-adjective/noun for being clever or bright in behavior, whereas ワイズ is a rarer katakana word used mainly for effect.
act smart; pretend to be clever
good child; well-behaved child
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.