#535: What's the difference between "cute" and "beautiful"? (6th grader)
Dr. Murase's response is very interesting, but I think there are even more differences between "beautiful" and "cute." For example, as Dr. Murase mentions, the word "beautiful" can be used for large-scale things like landscapes or scenery. On the other hand, the word "cute" is often used for smaller-scale things, such as a kitten or a keychain, for instance. The phrase "cute building" can make sense, but when I say a building is cute, it somehow gives the impression of being small.
However, when it comes to people or children, how are "beautiful" and "cute" different? In my image, "cute" is similar to the word "endearing" or "adorable" — cute, endearing, or adorable people, children, or animals make me want to protect, pinch their cheeks, or take some actions (like hugging!). When I see a cute kitten, I can't help but want to pet its head. In contrast, when it comes to beautiful people or animals, I just look at them and am captivated by their beauty. It's less about taking action and more about quietly admiring them. What do you think?
抜粋：第535回「かわいいと美しいの違いは？」（小６）
ムラセさんの言っていることもとてもおもしろいけれど、「美しい」と「かわいい」にはもっと色んなちがいがあると思う。例えば、ムラセさんが言うように「美しい」という言葉は風景とか景色とか、きぼが大きいものに対して使えるけど、「かわいい」はきぼが小さいものを指す時が多いような気がする。かわいい子猫、キーホルダー、とかね。「かわいい建物」というフレーズも成り立ちはするけど、何だが小さいイメージだ。でも人や子どもの場合、「美しい」と「かわいい」はどうちがうのだろう？私のイメージでは、「かわいい」は「いとおしい」っていう言葉と似ていて、守ってあげたり、ほっぺたをさわってみたくなったり、行動をかき立てるイメージだ。かわいい子猫をみたら、ついつい頭をなでたくなる。それに比べ、美しい人や動物には見とれてしまうから、行動をかき立てるというよりも、ただじっと見つめてしまうという感じかな。君はどう思う？
DisclaimersI wrote the original post in Japanese for the Mainichi Children’s Newspaper. Read here for more information on the project. I generated a portion of this English translation using ChatGPT. Although I always read and edit everything I post, I would like to be transparent about the translation process.