How to say "enough" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 十分じゅうぶんna-adjectiveThe default word for 'enough; sufficient; adequate'. Use it when saying a quantity, time, or quality is sufficient for a purpose, as in having enough money or enough preparation.
- no-adjective, na-adjective, adverbCovers 'enough' in the sense of plenty or a large amount. It emphasizes abundance rather than sufficiency, so it suits contexts like having enough food or plenty of time, and is usually written in kana.
- 良いよいi-adjectiveMatches 'enough' mainly through the sense 'sufficient; ready; prepared'. It is really the ordinary word for 'good', so for 'enough' it appears chiefly in expressions meaning 'that will do' or 'that is fine'.
- 結構けっこうna-adjectiveCovers 'enough' in the sense 'sufficient; satisfactory; fine'. It is especially the word for politely declining an offer — 'I've had enough, thank you' — and for saying something is fine as it is.どちらの日でも結構です。↗Either day is OK.
- 分ぶんnoun (suffix)Matches 'enough' only via the gloss 'enough (for)'. Its core meaning is 'amount; worth', as in two days' worth, so it is the word for an amount sufficient for someone or something, not 'enough' in general.
Use 十分 for the general sense of 'enough/sufficient', 「たくさん」 for a large quantity, 結構 when politely declining as 'I've had enough', 「良い」 mainly in set responses meaning 'that's fine', and 分 for 'enough for' a stated amount.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
