っぽい
-ish, -like, Characteristic of, Typical of, Tendency to
Structure
［い］Adjective［
［な］Adjective + っぽい
Noun + っぽい
Explanation
The suffix っぽい (sometimes written as ぽい) can be appended to various word types to form new い-Adjectives. It expresses that something has the 'qualities of (A)' or 'looks/acts like (A)'. Common English equivalents are '-ish', '-like', or 'prone to (A)'. It's worth noting that っぽい frequently implies a slightly negative judgment.
Since っぽい functions to create い-Adjectives, it connects to the conjunctive form of a verb, or to the 語幹 (stem) of nouns and other adjectives.
- 私の弟は忘れっぽいので、いつも何かをなくす。My little brother is pretty forgetful, so he's always losing something.
- あの青っぽいシャツが欲しいです。I would like that bluish shirt.
- 今日の試験は簡単っぽいよ！Today's exam seems like it will be easy!
- 彼は大人だけど、時々子供っぽいことを言う。He's an adult, but he sometimes says childish things.
Caution
Because っぽい transforms words into new い-Adjectives, it can be conjugated just like any other standard い-Adjective.
- このセーターは昔は黒っぽかったけど、今は茶色っぽい。This sweater used to be blackish, but now it's brownish.
- このジャケット、ちょっと女っぽくない？Doesn't this jacket look a bit womanly?
Caution
The specific nuance of っぽい shifts based on the type of word it follows. Here are the general patterns:
Verb + っぽい - Prone to (A); tends to do (A).
Adjective + っぽい - Appears to be (A); has a strong quality of (A).
Noun + っぽい - (A)-like; having the characteristics of (A) without actually being (A).
This shows that っぽい is rooted in the speaker's subjective impression, not an objective fact. When used with verbs, adjectives, or nouns, it often suggests that a certain quality is more prominent than usual or expected. It is this sense of 'too much (A)' from the speaker's viewpoint that often gives っぽい its negative feel.
Examples
ケンジ君は年下なのに、話し方が大人っぽい。
Even though Kenji is younger, he has a very mature way of speaking.
彼の言い訳は、どう聞いても嘘っぽい。
No matter how you listen to it, his excuse sounds like a lie. (~ish)
このシャツ、白っぽいシミがあるんだけど、落ちるかな。
There's a whitish stain on this shirt; I wonder if it will come out.
最近、どうも疲れっぽくて、何もする気がしない。
Lately, I've been feeling run-down and don't feel like doing anything. (~ish)
このレストラン、田舎っぽい雰囲気がとてもいいね。
I really like the rustic atmosphere of this restaurant.
山田さんは愚痴っぽくて、一緒にいると疲れる。
Yamada-san is so prone to complaining; it's tiring to be around him. (~ish)
この部屋は長い間使われていないのか、なんだかほこりっぽい。
I wonder if this room hasn't been used for a long time; it feels kind of dusty.
卒業式なのに、そんな湿っぽい話はやめようよ。
It's our graduation ceremony, so let's stop with all the gloomy talk.
彼女は服装や話し方が男っぽいね。
Her clothes and way of speaking are rather boyish, aren't they?
夕焼けで空が赤っぽくなっている。
The sky is becoming reddish from the sunset.
このデザインは、ちょっと素人っぽい感じがする。
This design feels a little bit amateurish. (~ish)
最近のロボットは、動きがすごく人間っぽくなってきた。
The movements of recent robots have become incredibly human-like.