MuddyMonkey Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 So, I've been thinking about something over the past few days (though obviously I'm none the wiser about the matter, otherwise I wouldn't be putting it to you lot xD!); namely, what on earth is the difference between finding someone "Hot", and finding them "cute"? I hear the term "Hot" predominantly applied to celebrities, and though I'll save my sheer confusion at the very notion of Celebrity Crushes for another topic, I will ask this; is "Hot" exclusively a detached, sexual term? Do sexual partners find each other 'Hot' after they actually start dating each other? Is it possible for Asexual people (anywhere on the spectrum) to find another person 'Hot'? In terms of "cute", that's exactly the term I'd apply to a person I mentioned being attracted to in a previous post; the Bisexual attendee of my Uni's LGBT Society. I know that in both cases, there's an element of physical attraction; for example, I find this guy's hair, face, general attire, (lack-of) height and voice to be physically and audibly attractive, and I can't help but smile warmly whenever I see him. I wonder if someone would do the same to a person they found "Hot". I'm really struggling to disentangle these two terms, so can anyone else help a confused monkey out? Link to post Share on other sites
Prufrock, but like, worse Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 They are both terms that mark the speaker as a vapid waste of oxygen not worth listening to any further. Thus, for all intents and purposes, they are interchangeable. Link to post Share on other sites
NerotheReaper Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 To me personally, "hot" has always been more about the body. Or appearance wise, while "cute" might can describe someone's appearance or actions. Cute usually has a more innocent tone to it, or not as sexual as the adjective hot might imply. Link to post Share on other sites
LadyFie Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 For me, "cute" is more innocent (what makes you go "awwwh") while "hot" is more sexual. I mean, you can find animals cute, but you would never call them "hot" I can only speak for myself and my experiences, though. I guess the meaning of a word always depends on the person who is using it. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 "Hot" is typically used to describe something/someone that elicits a sexual attraction from the speaker or from people in general. "Cute" is rather infantilizing in nature; it's generally used to describe children and child-like things and behaviour, especially things deemed "innocent": "what a cute baby", "what a cute (stereotypically girly) outfit"/a woman who opts to dress fashionably but not sexily, pesky/petulant behaviour may be described as "cute" albeit sarcastically, kawaii culture, demure actions, someone who fits the "wholesome" girl/boy-next-door look.... Link to post Share on other sites
HonoraryJedi Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 They are different words. I feel like you are overthinking this. I will answer anyway though. Hot, cute, pretty, handsome, beautiful, they are all about appreciating someone's looks, but also, being different words, mean different things. Hot is generally more sexual. Cute is applied to all kinds of things, as mentioned, but in this context, I would consider it a statement of a crush. (Though again, context applies) I guess you could think of 'hot' as being about sexual attraction and 'cute' as being about romantic attraction if you need a degree of separation, but the majority of people using the words won't think about them in those terms. And I am in an odd* place on the spectrum, and I will say I do think of people as 'hot' sometimes, even though nothing would ever make me want to have sex with anyone so I don't know if it counts. Why would sexual partners suddenly not find eachother attractive after they started dating? *Autochorisexual, there might be another name now? I don't remember. Not its own sexuality, but it's own place on the spectrum. In short, sex is all good and well in theory, as long as I have no part in it. Link to post Share on other sites
Polygon Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 You don't call a puppy "hot", for one thing.. Link to post Share on other sites
timewarp Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Cute: Spoiler Hot: Spoiler Link to post Share on other sites
EggplantWitch Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Everyone else has got it pretty good, but at least in the UK, and at least when I was younger, 'cute' when used to refer to someone didn't always mean 'awww how sweet!', but attractive in a non-threatening way - which I suspect is what you're asking about, since I notice you're English too. I have used and will continue to use 'cute' in both fashions, but I don't use 'hot' because it has the same connotations to me as 'sexy' which I feel gives out the wrong impression should I use them, i.e. that I'm allosexual. Link to post Share on other sites
ShyFeather Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 "Cute" to me is something that is more round. There are more curves, circles and tends to be more plump. "Hot" is more angular. It has straight lines, sharp angles, and flatter surfaces. I don't know if having no aesthetic attraction has influenced how these words look to me, but that's the best I've been able to define it. What the others have said sounds a little confusing to me so I probably don't get it xD Link to post Share on other sites
MuddyMonkey Posted November 13, 2017 Author Share Posted November 13, 2017 @ShyFeather That's a very interesting insight; when you put it like that, I do start to see how celebrities we stereotypically think of as "Hot" are often the extreme end of the masculine or feminine scale, with defined muscles (or breasts), clear facial features and airbrushed hair. A person who is "Cute" generally doesn't have these features; there's nothing conventionally outstanding about the physical appearance of the guy I mentioned in the initial post. I guess, in a way, "Cute" is more subjective. Link to post Share on other sites
drjohnhwatson Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 They are both aesthetic terms, so...yes. An asexual person can find someone "cute" or "hot". Cute is more like adorable and stuff, and hot is more sexual and attractive. I've been called cute so many times, but I don't think I've ever been called "hot". Link to post Share on other sites
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