How to say "profound" in Japanese

• 奥深いおくふかいCommon
  i-adjectiveDepth not obvious at a glance and rewarding closer engagement: profound meaning, insight, or a subject whose depths keep unfolding. The image is of hidden layers beneath the surface, reached only through sustained attention.
• 重厚じゅうこうCommon
  na-adjective, nounReally describes weight and solidity — a grave, substantial quality of style, build, or sound — so it is seldom the word you want for 'profound' ideas; choose it only for that heavy, dignified feel.
• 深遠しんえんCommon
  na-adjective, nounProfound in the intellectual or philosophical sense: ideas, truths, and teachings whose depth is hard to fathom — esoteric matter that ordinary thinking cannot easily reach.
  彼かれは深遠しんえんな学識がくしきを備そなえた人ひとだ。↗

  He is a man with profound learning.
• 深長しんちょうCommon
  na-adjective, nounSeldom the word you want for 'profound'. It is rarely used as an independent word, appearing mainly inside fixed expressions, so a more usual choice is normally better.
• 深いふかいJLPT N4approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe general-purpose word: it covers plain physical depth and, figuratively, profound meaning, thought, feeling, or insight. When unsure which word a given 'profound' calls for, this is the safe default.

Use 「深い」 as the all-purpose default, 「奥深い」 for depth that unfolds on closer engagement, 深遠 for abstract ideas hard to fathom, 重厚 for weighty solidity rather than true profundity, and treat 深長 as marginal.

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

• 奥深いおくふかいprofound
• 重厚じゅうこうprofound
• 深遠しんえんprofound
• 深長しんちょうprofound
• 深甚しんじんprofound (respect, gratitude, etc.)
• 深甚なるしんじんなるprofound (respect, gratitude, etc.)
• 奥が深いおくがふかいprofound
• 最重度さいじゅうどprofound (of a disability, etc.)
• 深重じんじゅうprofound
• 深厚しんこうdeeply sincere
• 意味深いいみぶかいdeeply meaningful
• 奥の深いおくのふかいdeep
• 味わい深いあじわいぶかいenlightening
• 深いふかいprofound
• 深奥しんおうprofound