Meaning

Primary

Appearance

Alternatives

Form, Look

Word Type

noun, の adjective

Explanation

Someone has the status of being liked by you, and it's because of their incredible appearance and form. They have a great look, and it's really making you like them (you're kind of superficial).

On its own, 格好 usually refers to how someone comes across visually, especially their clothing or outward style. But in set phrases, it can also describe something's overall vibe, which is why 格好いい works for a good-looking person, a jammin' song, or even a line of dialogue that just sounds effortlessly cool.

Reading

かっこう
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

This is a jukugo word, which usually means on'yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you'll know how to read this as well. Just be sure to note the かく reading, which gets changed to かっ.

Note that in casual speech, people often shorten 格好's reading from かっこう to かっこ. This is especially common with the phrases 格好いい and 格好悪い, which tend to be shortened to かっこいい and かっこわるい — and even written that way in kana sometimes. BUT… when it's time for kanji exams, remember to use the official reading かっこう for 格好!

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 格好が悪い

    looking unfashionable, doing something embarrassing

    格好が良い

    looking stylish, doing something impressive

    格好がつく

    to look presentable, to look the part

    格好がダサい

    outfit is unfashionable, looking lame

Context Sentences

ステキな格好だね。

That's a lovely outfit.

格好いい車ですね。

That's a cool car.

いや、その格好はダサいよ。

Nah, that outfit is lame.

格好悪いことしちゃったな。

Well, I sure made a fool of myself.

Kanji Composition