How to say "valuable" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 貴重きちょうna-adjective, nounThe default for 'valuable' in the sense of precious and hard to replace: treasured resources, opportunities, time or information whose scarcity makes them prized.
- 金目かねめno-adjectiveA noun for money and things worth money rather than an adjective; as a rendering of 'valuable' it is marginal — it really means 'valuables', so it is seldom the word you want.
- 高価こうかna-adjective, nounCovers the monetary sense: 'valuable' because it costs a lot. Use it for expensive goods and purchases where the point is the high price, not sentimental worth.そんな高価な本は買えないよ。↗I can't buy a book this expensive.
- 尊いとうといi-adjectivePrecious with emotional or moral weight: life, people, teachings or memories that deserve respect and are beyond price. It is the word for 'priceless' rather than for anything costing money.愛より尊い物はない。↗Nothing is as precious as love.
- 有意義ゆういぎna-adjectiveUse it when 'valuable' means meaningful or worthwhile — time, activities or experiences that repay the effort — rather than anything with a price. Money is beside the point here.
Choose 貴重 for treasured, hard-to-replace things, 高価 for high price, 「尊い」 for emotionally or morally precious things, 有意義 for meaningful, worthwhile experiences, and avoid 金目, which is really the noun 'valuables'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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