柔らか・軟らか|やわらかyawaraka[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. na-adjectivesoft; tender; pliant; supple
   彼女かのじょは背せの高たかいほっそりした少女しょうじょで、長ながいやわらかな茶色ちゃいろの髪かみをしていました。↗

   She was a tall, thin girl with long, soft brown hair.
2. na-adjectivesoft (colour, light, etc.); subdued; gentle (demeanour, voice, etc.); mild
   彼女かのじょは柔やわらかな口調くちょうで話はなしました。↗

   She spoke in soft tones.
3. na-adjectiveinformal; light; flexible (e.g. thinking)

• Synonym柔らかいやわらかいNeutralThe everyday i-adjective with the same meaning, much more common, as in 「柔らかいパン」; 「柔らか」 is a na-adjective with a slightly more written feel.
• SynonymソフトNeutralA loanword for soft or gentle, often applied to products and mouthfeel; it also means software. 「柔らか」 is the native Japanese term.
• SynonymマイルドNeutralA loanword for mild taste or tone, typical of food and tobacco; it is not used for soft texture, unlike 「柔らか」.
• SynonymしなやかNeutralSupple with an elastic, graceful beauty, as in 「しなやかな体」; narrower than 「柔らか」, which covers any soft texture or gentle quality.
• Synonym柔軟じゅうなんNeutralCovers physical suppleness and, figuratively, flexible thinking, as in 「柔軟な発想」.
• Synonym柔いやわいCasualColloquial for soft or lacking firmness, often implying weakness or that something will not last; 「柔らか」 leans positive, soft and gentle.
• RelatedふにゃふにゃCasualColloquial for limp and floppy with no bounce, often a negative, weak impression; 「柔らか」 is usually a positive assessment.
• Relatedもの柔らかものやわらかWrittenWritten style for mild, gentle speech and behaviour, stressing how one treats people, as in 「もの柔らかな物腰」; not said of textures.
• RelatedたわやかWrittenA rare written word for pliant, bending without breaking, mostly of branches; 「柔らか」 is more common and much broader.
• RelatedたおやかWrittenWritten style for willowy, graceful charm, mostly of a woman's posture or movements; 「柔らか」 carries no such elegant nuance.
• Antonym硬いかたいNeutralThe antonym: hard and stiff, the opposite of 「柔らか」 for texture; also used of stiff attitudes or stilted writing.

Use 「柔らか」 for soft textures and for gentle light, tones or demeanour, as in 「柔らかな日差し」 and 「物腰の柔らかな人」. In everyday speech the i-adjective 「柔らかい」 is the default; use 「マイルド」 for product flavours, 「柔軟」 for flexible thinking, and 「硬い」 for the opposite.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. ふんわりとして感触かんしょくが硬かたくないさま。
2. 柔軟性じゅうなんせいがあり硬直こうちょくしていないさま。
3. 柔和にゅうわでおだやかな様子ようす。
4. 説明せつめいが易やさしくかみくだいてあること。