Meaning
~っぽい is a suffix that describes having a strong tendency toward something or appearing/looking like something. It functions as an i-adjective and can be attached to verbs, adjectives, and nouns to express both positive and negative impressions, though negative connotations are more common in usage.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词（ます形） | 动词ます形 + っぽい |
| い形容词（…い） | い形容词词干 + っぽい |
| 名词 | 名词 + っぽい |
Examples
-
彼女は自分の服は2万円ぐらいすると言ってたけど、どう見ても安っぽい服だね。
She said her clothes cost about 20,000 yen, but no matter how you look at it, they seem cheap. -
成長するにつれて子供っぽい習慣がなくなる。
As people grow up, childish habits disappear. -
彼は飽きっぽいので、どんな仕事でも長く続けることができません。
Since he gets bored easily, he can't stick with any job for long.
Summary
- ~っぽい is a suffix functioning as an i-adjective that expresses a tendency or appearance
- Can be used with verbs (masu-stem), i-adjectives (stem), and nouns, and works in both written and spoken Japanese
- Common set phrases include 子供っぽい (childish), 水っぽい (watery), 安っぽい (cheap-looking), 飽きっぽい (easily bored), and 忘れっぽい (forgetful)