How to say "long" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 長いながいi-adjectiveThe adjective for physical length and distance: a long road, river, or train. When 'long' describes something you could measure from end to end, this is the word you want.
- 久しいひさしいi-adjectiveCovers 'long' for time that has passed: it says a long while has gone by since something happened, looking back from the present. It can also describe a story as old.
- na-adjective, nounThe katakana loanword. It is seldom the word you want for 'long' by itself — it really belongs inside borrowed expressions — and 長い is the adjective to reach for.
- 長らくながらくadverbAn adverb meaning 'for a long time'. It says that something, such as a wait or an absence, has gone on for a long while, rather than describing a thing as long.
- 古いふるいi-adjectiveReally the word for 'old'. Its 'long' sense covers only 'since long ago' — long-standing, time-honored things — so it is seldom the word you want for 'long' itself.
Choose 「長い」 for physical length and distance, 「久しい」 for time that has passed, 「長らく」 to say something has lasted a long while, 「ロング」 within borrowed expressions, and 「古い」 only when 'long' means 'since long ago'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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