暖かい・温かい|あたたかいatatakai[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
あったかいattakai
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Which spelling to use
暖かい暖かい is the most common written form, using a mixture of kanji and kana; beginners should choose it when writing this adjective.
温かい温かい is a less common mixed kanji-and-kana variant. You may encounter it in written Japanese, but beginners should generally use 暖かい instead.
Definitions
Conjugation
| Plain form | 暖かい（あたたかい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 暖かいです（あたたかいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 暖かくない（あたたかくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 暖かくありません（あたたかくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 暖かかった（あたたかかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 暖かくなかった（あたたかくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 暖かくて（あたたかくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 暖かく（あたたかく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 暖かければ（あたたかければ） |
| kattara | 暖かかったら（あたたかかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym温暖おんだんWrittenWritten-style word for a warm, mild climate, as in 「温暖な地域」; mostly for geography and climate rather than everyday warmth.
- Synonym暖かあたたかCasualAdjectival-noun form, typically seen as 「暖かな」; carries a slightly more refined feel than 「暖かい」.
- SynonymぬくいCasualA dialect word, used around Kansai and elsewhere, for pleasantly warm, as in 「ぬくい部屋」.
- RelatedぬるいCasualA dialect word, used around Kansai and elsewhere, for pleasantly warm, as in 「ぬくい部屋」.
- Related生ぬるいなまぬるいCasualLukewarm—not quite hot enough—or, of an attitude or response, half-hearted, as in 「生ぬるい対応」; carries a negative shade.
- Related温和おんわWrittenWritten-leaning word for a mild climate or a gentle nature, stressing steadiness and the absence of drastic change.
- Related生暖かいなまあたたかいCasualMildly warm, neither hot nor cold, with an unpleasant, uncomfortable feel, as in 「生暖かい風」.
- Antonym寒いさむいNeutralThe opposite of 「暖かい」 for weather: temperatures so low they feel uncomfortable.
- Antonym冷たいつめたいNeutralThe opposite of 「温かい」: objects cold to the touch, or an aloof, unfeeling attitude.
Use 「暖かい／温かい」 by default for warm weather, things and kindness. For climate in formal writing pick 「温暖」; 「生ぬるい」 is lukewarm or half-hearted with a negative tone; 「寒い」 and 「冷たい」 are the cold opposites.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
