How to say "importance" in Japanese

• 重きおもきCommon
  nounCovers importance as the weight or emphasis placed on something, typically in set phrases like 重きを置く 'to place weight on'; it is not the word for importance as an abstract quality.
  いかにも敬虔けいけんなるクリスチャンが送おくる、礼節れいせつ重おもき言葉ことばです。↗

  So characteristic of what a pious Christian would say, this courteous phrase.
• 重要性じゅうようせいCommon
  nounThe direct equivalent for importance as an abstract quality: how important something is, its significance or gravity. Choose this when you mean importance itself, not emphasis placed on one part.
  私わたしたちはその重要性じゅうようせいを主張しゅちょうした。↗

  We insisted on its importance.
• 重点じゅうてんJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounHere 'importance' means the important point or focus rather than importance in general: 重点を置く is 'to put the emphasis on'. Natural when discussing what something concentrates on or treats as its key point.
  このショーではロボットに重点じゅうてんがおかれている。↗

  In this show, the accent is on robots.
• 力点りきてんCommon
  nounFor plain 'importance' this is seldom the word you want; it really denotes the point where emphasis or stress falls, as when analysing where the weight lies in a text or argument.
  彼かれの話はなしの力点りきてんは一生懸命いっしょうけんめいに働はたらかなくてはならないということにあった。↗

  The emphasis of his talk was on the need to work hard.
• ウェイトCommon
  nounThe loanword suits importance as relative weight or priority — how much weight one factor carries against others when weighing options or criteria. Less apt for importance in the abstract than 重要性.

重要性 is the abstract 'importance'; 「重き」, 重点 and 「ウェイト」 express the weight, emphasis or priority given to something; 力点 is mainly for where emphasis falls, as in analysing a text.

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

• 重きおもきimportance
• 重要性じゅうようせいimportance
• 重点じゅうてんimportant point
• 力点りきてんemphasis
• 重大性じゅうだいせいimportance
• 重要度じゅうようどimportance
• マティリアリティmateriality
• ウェイトimportance
• 重みおもみimportance
• 軽重けいちょう(relative) importance