Japatan
Formation
- N + っぽい
- いA(〜い を取る) + っぽい
- Vます形 + っぽい
Explanation
(1) After a noun or the stem of an i-adjective, it means "looks like ~ / has a feel of ~" (子どもっぽい childish, 白っぽい whitish, 安っぽい cheap-looking). (2) After the masu-stem of a verb, it means "tends to ~ easily" as a personality trait (忘れっぽい forgetful, 怒りっぽい short-tempered). It conjugates like an i-adjective. It is casual and often negative.
Examples
兄はもう大学生なのに、考え方が子どもっぽい。
My brother is already a university student, but the way he thinks is childish.
あの白っぽいコートを着ている人が田中さんです。
The person in the whitish coat over there is Mr. Tanaka.
最近忘れっぽくなって、よくかぎをなくす。
I've become forgetful lately and often lose my keys.
この服は安かったけど、ぜんぜん安っぽくない。
These clothes were cheap, but they don't look cheap at all.
Notes
男らしい is positive (close to the ideal of a man), while 男っぽい only means "looks like a man." Saying 〜っぽい about someone above you can sound rude.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1弟は（ ）っぽくて、何を始めてもすぐやめてしまう。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 飽き
"My little brother gets bored easily and quits whatever he starts." っぽい for a personality trait follows the masu-stem: 飽きっぽい.
2この服は安（ ）見えるので、買うのをやめた。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 っぽく
"These clothes look cheap, so I decided not to buy them." っぽい conjugates like an i-adjective, so before 見える it becomes 安っぽく.
3彼は小さなことですぐ怒る。本当に（ ）人だ。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 怒りっぽい
"He gets angry right away over small things. He's really short-tempered." Masu-stem 怒り + っぽい, and before a noun it stays 怒りっぽい.
