利口
Meaning in Englishclever, smart, shrewd
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
What does 利口 mean? It means clever or smart; describes someone who uses intelligence effectively and exercises good judgment in practical situations, commonly used for people and occasionally animals.
Main meanings
- Primary sense: clever, bright; capable of quick, practical thinking.
- Practical intelligence and resourcefulness; often described as street-smart.
- Positive evaluation of judgment or discernment; not usually implying theoretical brilliance.
- Less common nuance: can hint at shrewdness or cunning in some contexts, but generally positive.
How to use it
Used to describe people (and sometimes animals) who show good judgment and quick thinking; in casual speech you may hear 利口だ or 利口な人; in neutral to formal writing you’ll find 利口な判断 or 利口な性格. It is not typically used for inanimate objects; for devices or concepts, 賢い is sometimes more natural.
Variants and close terms
- 賢い (kashikoi) — smart, wise
- 聡明な (sōmei na) — bright, sensible
- 機転が利く (kiten ga kiku) — quick-witted
- 馬鹿な (baka na) — stupid (antonym)
Composition
- 利: advantage, benefit, profit
- 口: mouth; speech-related meaning; when combined, conveys the idea of expressing oneself with beneficial effectiveness
Etymology
利口 rikō is a compound that uses the on'yomi readings of the two kanji; both characters contribute a phonetic value in standard Japanese pronunciation, yielding rikō without irregular phonetic shifts.
Word class
adjective (na-adjective)