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華美 (かび, kabi) Japanese meaning: splendor | Kotomora

華か美び

か

び

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective

splendor; magnificence; gorgeousness

Positive or neutral sense: impressive beauty, richness, or grandeur, often of decoration, attire, or architecture.

その宮きゅう殿でんは華か美びな装

そう

飾しょく

で

知し

ら

れ

て

いる

。

The palace is known for its magnificent decorations.

彼かの女じょのドレスは華か美びで、パーティーの主しゅ役やくだった。

Her dress was gorgeous and she was the star of the party.

2

noun, na-adjective

showiness; gaudiness; extravagance

Often negative or critical: excessive or tasteless display, flashiness, or luxury that is considered overdone.

あの店みせの内ない装そうは華か美びすぎて落おち着つかない。
The interior of that shop is too showy and makes me uneasy.
華か美びな生せい活かつを送おくるよりも、質しっ素そな暮くらしを好このむ。
I prefer a simple life to an extravagant one.

Usage patterns

華か美びな〈物もの〉a splendid/showy thing (clothing, decoration, etc.)
華か美びな服ふく装そうは式しき典てんにふさわしくない。
Showy attire is not appropriate for the ceremony.
華か美びを避さけるto avoid ostentation/showiness
結けっ婚こん式しきでは華か美びを避さけるべきだ。
One should avoid ostentation at a wedding.
華か美びに走はしるto go overboard with showiness/extravagance
若わか者ものたちは華か美びに走はしる傾けい向こうがある。
Young people tend to go overboard with flashy extravagance.
華か美びを極きわめるto be extremely lavish/splendid
その建たて物ものの内ない装そうは華か美びを極きわめている。
The building's interior is the height of splendor.

Kanji

華splendor, flower, petal
美beauty, beautiful
花flower

Related words

豪ごう華かN3sense 1
豪華 emphasizes lavishness and luxury with a positive connotation, while 華美 can carry either admiration or criticism of excessive display.
絢けん爛らん sense 1
絢爛 is a literary word for dazzling brilliance and is almost always positive, whereas 華美 more often hints at excess or tastelessness.
派は手でN3sense 2
派手 is a casual, everyday word for flashy colors or behavior, while 華美 is more formal and refers to ornate, extravagant beauty.
贅ぜい沢たくN3sense 2
贅沢 focuses on wasteful or indulgent luxury in living or spending, while 華美 focuses on the outward showiness of appearance or decoration.
綺き羅ら
綺羅 specifically evokes gorgeous, splendid clothing itself, while 華美 is a broader adjective-like noun describing showy, extravagant style in general (not limited to clothes).

Opposites

質しっ素そN2
質素 describes plain, unadorned simplicity, the direct opposite of the extravagant showiness of 華美.

Don't confuse with

華か麗れいN1sense 1
華麗 shares the kanji 華 with 華美 and also means gorgeous, but 華麗 is purely admiring while 華美 often criticizes excess.
華きゃ奢しゃ
華奢 shares the kanji 華 with 華美 but means slender or delicate, not showy or splendid.

Written forms

華か美びUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling; used in news and formal contexts.
花か美び
Rare variant; may be encountered in older texts or proper names.

Etymology

Compound of 華 (flower, brilliance) and 美 (beauty). The combination suggests 'flowery beauty', which developed into the meanings of splendor and showiness.