Japanese word of the day: 暖かい (Atatakai)

What does 暖かい (Atatakai) mean?

暖かい (Atatakai) (い-adjective) — Warm; mild; pleasantly hot. This word is used to describe comfortable, gentle warmth in the air, weather, or environment. It’s the kind of warmth that makes a spring day inviting or a room cozy.

Kanji details for 暖

Character: 暖 — warmth
Radical: sun, day 日

Example sentences with 暖かい (Atatakai)

• 今日は暖かいですね。
  (Kyō wa atatakai desu ne.)
  🌤️ It’s warm today, isn’t it?

• この部屋はとても暖かい。
  (Kono heya wa totemo atatakai.)
  🏠 This room is very warm.

• １２月にしては少々暖かいと思いませんか。
  (Jūnigatsu ni shite wa shōshō atatakai to omoimasen ka.)
  🗓️ Don’t you think it’s rather warm for December?

暖かい (Atatakai) in context

暖かい is your go-to word for describing the warmth of the air, weather, or an environment. Use it when you want to talk about a warm day, a cozy room, or mild spring weather. For example, “春の暖かさ” (haru no atatakasa) means “the warmth of spring,” and “暖かい部屋” (atatakai heya) means “a warm room”.

It’s important to know that Japanese has two different kanji for “atatakai”:

• 暖かい is used for air temperature, climate, or the general environment.

• 温かい is used for things that are physically warm to the touch (like soup, hands, or a cup of tea) or for describing emotional warmth, such as a warm smile or a warm heart.

So, if you’re talking about the weather or the temperature in a room, stick with 暖かい. If you’re talking about a warm drink, 温かい is the natural choice.