大切|たいせつtaisetsu[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjectiveimportant; significant; serious; crucial
   柔道じゅうどうでは力ちからより技わざのほうが大切たいせつである。↗

   In judo, technique is more important than strength.
2. na-adjectiveprecious; valuable; dear; cherished; beloved
   大切たいせつなものはここに置おかないで下ください。↗

   Please don't leave valuable things here.
3. na-adjectivecarefulusu. adverbially as ～に
   私は古ふるい本ほんを大切たいせつに保存ほぞんしている。↗

   I keep old books with care.

• Synonym重要じゅうようNeutralA Sino-Japanese word for objective importance, as in 「重要な会議」; it leans formal and, unlike 「大切」, carries no feeling of cherishing something.
• Synonym肝心かんじんNeutralRefers to the most crucial, make-or-break part of something, as in 「肝心なところで失敗する」; it homes in on the crux rather than general importance.
• Synonym大事だいじNeutralLargely interchangeable with 「大切」, but also a noun for a major incident, as in 「大事に至る」 — a use 「大切」 does not have.
• Synonym重大じゅうだいNeutralDescribes situations with grave consequences, as in 「重大な事故」; it stresses severity of outcome and has none of 「大切」's sense of treasuring.
• Synonym肝要かんようWrittenWritten style for something extremely important, vital, as in 「継続が肝要だ」.
• Synonym貴重きちょうNeutralSays something is rare and precious, as in 「貴重な体験」 or 「貴重品」; the emphasis is on scarcity, on being hard to come by.
• Synonym緊要きんようWrittenWritten style for something critical and pressing, as in 「緊要な課題」.
• Related由々しいゆゆしいWrittenWritten language for a grave situation that cannot be left unattended, as in 「由々しき事態」.
• Related深刻しんこくNeutralSays a problem is serious or a situation grim, as in 「深刻な問題」; it stresses how bad things have become, with no nuance of cherishing.
• Related喫緊きっきんWrittenWritten style for something pressing and urgent that brooks no delay, as in 「喫緊の課題」.
• RelatedシリアスNeutralA loanword meaning serious or earnest, as in 「シリアスなドラマ」; only loosely related — it does not mean precious or important.
• Related主要しゅようNeutralMeans main or principal, as in 「主要な原因」; it ranks things as primary versus secondary rather than adding a sense of care.
• Related基本的きほんてきNeutralMeans basic or fundamental, as in 「基本的な知識」; it concerns foundations and is only loosely related, with no sense of treasuring.
• Related根本的こんぽんてきNeutralMeans radical or going to the root of things, as in 「根本的な解決」.
• Related重いおもいNeutralMeans heavy in weight, or heavy in responsibility or gravity, as in 「責任が重い」; the focus is weightiness, not cherishing.
• Related本質的ほんしつてきWrittenSays something concerns the essence of a matter, as in 「本質的な問題」; it leans toward written, formal prose.
• Related必要ひつようNeutralMeans needed or necessary, as in 「必要な書類」; the question is whether something is required, not whether it is dear.
• Related不可欠ふかけつWrittenSays something is indispensable, as in 「生活に不可欠」; it leans toward written, formal prose.
• Related必須ひっすNeutralMeans required or must-have, as in 「必須科目」; used mostly for conditions and requirements.
• Related有意義ゆういぎNeutralMeans meaningful or worthwhile, as in 「有意義な時間」; the emphasis is on worth, not on treasuring.
• Related重たいおもたいCasualColloquial form of 「重い」: physically heavy or an oppressive mood; by extension, heavy responsibility or grave situations — only in that sense does it relate to 「大切」.
• Related枢要すうようWrittenWritten style for holding a pivotal, core position, as in 「枢要な地位」; not used in everyday speech.
• Related意義深いいぎぶかいWrittenSays something is deeply significant, as in 「意義深い経験」; the emphasis is on meaningfulness rather than care or value.
• Related要用ようようWrittenWritten style for important business or pressing matters; rarely seen in modern usage.
• Related価値あるかちあるNeutralMeans valuable or worthy, as in 「価値ある一冊」; the focus is on worth.
• Related中心的ちゅうしんてきNeutralMeans being at the center of things, as in 「中心的な役割」; only loosely related, with no nuance of cherishing.
• Antonym粗末そまつNeutralThe opposite of 「大切」: handling things carelessly instead of treasuring them, as in 「物を粗末にする」.
• Antonym軽視けいしWrittenThe opposite of 「大切」: making light of something and not taking it seriously.

For something both important and cherished, 「大切」 is the default choice; 「大事」 is largely interchangeable and common in speech. Use 「重要」 for objective importance, 「肝心」 for the most crucial point, 「重大」 or 「深刻」 for grave situations, 「貴重」 for rare and precious things, and 「必要」 for what is indispensable.

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

1. 大おおいに重要じゅうようなさま。要点ようてんである。
2. 丁重ていちょうに扱あつかうさま。
3. 親愛しんあいを感かんじる。
4. 愛あい。