How to say "large-scale" in Japanese

• 大型おおがたCommon
  no-adjectiveCovers 'large' and 'large-sized': it describes things that are physically big, and its 'large-scale' sense is secondary. For a large-scale project, operation, or event, 大規模 is the word you want.
  大型おおがたと小型こがたの２台だいの飛行機ひこうきが、ハンガー内ないで停止ていししていました。↗

  Two airplanes, one large and one small, were at rest in the hangar.
• 大掛かりおおがかりCommon
  na-adjective, nounLarge-scale as applied to plans, projects, or work: it suggests an undertaking of considerable size, one that takes substantial time and effort to carry out.
  我々われわれは大掛おおがかりな大衆たいしゅうの抵抗ていこうに直面ちょくめんした。↗

  We came up against massive popular resistance.
• 大規模だいきぼCommon
  na-adjective, nounThe most general of these for 'large-scale': it describes the overall scope or magnitude of an event, project, or operation, stating plainly that something is big in scale.
  このことから、大規模だいきぼな人口じんこう移動いどうは経済けいざい変化へんかの結果けっかではないという議論ぎろんを導みちびくことができる。↗

  From this we can derive the argument that major population shifts are not the result of economic change.
• 大々的だいだいてきCommon
  na-adjectiveLarge-scale in the sense of doing something in a grand, extensive way: it characterizes how an action or event is carried out on a grand scale rather than the measured size of a thing.
  彼かれは大々的だいだいてきにパーティーを催もよおした。↗

  He gave a party on a large scale.

Use 大規模 for large scale as sheer scope or magnitude, 「大掛かり」 for sizable undertakings requiring much work, 大々的 for doing things in a grand manner, and 大型 mainly for physically large things.

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

• 大型おおがたlarge
• 大掛かりおおがかりlarge-scale
• 大規模だいきぼlarge-scale
• 大々的だいだいてきgreat
• 大仕掛けおおじかけlarge-scale
• 多頭たとうlarge-scale (e.g. breeding)