How to say "good" in Japanese

• 良いよいJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe all-purpose adjective for 'good': anything good in quality, condition, or result — a good idea, a good person, a good result. This is the word you want when simply saying something is good.
  私にはよい友達ともだちが数すう人にんいる。↗

  I have several good friends.
• ためJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, adverbRarely the word you want for the adjective 'good': ため is a noun meaning advantage, benefit, or welfare — someone's good. It fits talk of acting for another's benefit, not describing a thing as good.
  あなたのためなら喜よろこんでどんなことでもします。↗

  I am ready to do anything for you.
• おいしいJLPT N5approx.Common
  i-adjectiveCovers 'good' only in the taste sense: food and drink that is delicious or tasty. Natural for praising a meal or dish; not the word for good people, plans, or weather.
  おいしい食事しょくじをありがとう。↗

  Thanks for the delicious meal.
• よろしいJLPT N4approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe respectful equivalent of 'good, OK, all right': use it in polite speech, such as when confirming an arrangement or asking whether something is acceptable; in casual talk the plain adjective does the job.
  あなたに頼たのんでもよろしいですか。↗

  May I request a favour of you?
• グッドCommon
  prenominal modifierThe borrowed English word, written in katakana: it appears where 'good' itself would be used, often as a brief exclamation of approval. For ordinary sentences, 良い is the word you want.

Use 「良い」 for the all-purpose adjective 'good'; 「よろしい」 as its polite equivalent; 「おいしい」 only for good-tasting food and drink; 「ため」 is really the noun 'benefit', and 「グッド」 is the borrowed English word.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 良いよいgood
• ためgood
• おいしいgood(-tasting)
• よろしいgood
• グッドgood
• ナイスnice
• 善ぜんgood
• 良好りょうこうgood
• 良りょうgood (quality, condition, etc.)
• 善良ぜんりょうgood (person, nature, etc.)
• 益えきbenefit
• ろくなsatisfactory
• うまいskillful
• 快調かいちょうgood (condition)
• ボンgood
• いいgood
• グーgood
• 上手じょうずskillful
• 堪能たんのうproficient
• 喜ばしいよろこばしいjoyful (news, event, etc.)
• 好こうgood
• ろくsatisfactory
• ハラショーgood
• 佳良かりょうgood
• きりがいいgood (place to leave off)
• よしgood
• きりのいいgood (place to leave off)
• おいちいgood(-tasting)
• 佳かbeautiful
• そうねOh well
• 裨益ひえきbenefit
• んまいdelicious
• お利口おりこうwell-behaved (esp. of children and pets)
• 愛いういfine (person)
• ちゃんとしたproper
• よろしおす(it) is fine
• 堪能かんのうproficient
• 思わしいおもわしいsatisfactory
• 腕がいいうでがいいskilled
• 腕のいいうでのいいskilled
• 強いつよいgood (at)
• 利益りえきbenefit
• 賢いかしこいwell-behaved (esp. children and pets)
• 利口りこうwell-behaved (esp. of children and pets)
• 芳しいかんばしいgood (reputation, condition, results, etc.)
• 良きよきgood
• ええgood
• 面白いおもしろいgood