How to say "great" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 大きいおおきいi-adjectiveIts 'great' means large in size or degree, as in a great difference or a great big building; it is not used to praise a person or call something wonderful.
- 大おおprefixThe reading おお of 大 typically appears as the first element of larger words, adding a sense of large, great or major; by itself it is not how you say something is great.
- 大だいprefix, na-adjective, nounThe on-reading だい of 大, found chiefly inside compound words rather than used by itself; there it contributes large, big, great or huge, but as a standalone way to say 'great' it is marginal.
- 大きなおおきなpre-noun adjectivalSame meaning as 大きい, but it only modifies nouns and cannot end a sentence; it works before a noun for both physical size and abstract 'great', as in a great problem.
- i-adjectiveThis is 'great' in the sense of admirable or praiseworthy, used of a person or their deeds, as when telling a child they did great; it has nothing to do with physical size.
Use 「大きい」 or 「大きな」 for 'great' meaning large in size or degree, 大（おお） and 大（だい） as elements of larger words, and 「えらい」 for 'great' meaning admirable or praiseworthy.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 大きいおおきいbig
- 大おおlarge
- 大だいlarge
- 大きなおおきなbig
- えらいgreat
- 大したたいしたconsiderable
- 偉大いだいgreat
- グレートgreat
- 多大ただいgreat (quantity, amount, etc.)
- 大々的だいだいてきgreat
- おっきいbig
- 素敵すてきlovely
- 雄大ゆうだいgrand
- 豪儀ごうぎgreat
- 曾ひいgreat (i.e. great-grandson, great-grandmother)
- 大いなるおおいなるbig
- 優れたすぐれたgreat
- 洪大こうだいgreat
- 偉えらtremendous
- 大乗的だいじょうてきbroad
- ボーノdelicious
- ゴイスーamazing
- グランlarge
- すごいamazing (e.g. of strength)
- 非常ひじょうextreme
- 大変たいへんimmense
- 豪勢ごうせいgreat
- すっごいamazing (e.g. of strength)
- 名めいfamous
- しきりgreat
- 大のだいのgreat (friend, etc.)
- あまりextreme
- あんましextreme
See also
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