Japanese dictionary
How to say "big" in Japanese
大きいおおきい · ōkii
"Big" in Japanese is 大きい (ōkii). For a big room or space, Japanese usually says 広い (hiroi), "wide."
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Ways to say "big" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 大きいおおきい · ōkii | Big; large. The everyday word. |
| 大きなおおきな · ōkina | Big (before a noun). |
| 広いひろい · hiroi | Big; spacious (a room or area). |
How to use it
Both 大きい家 and 大きな家 mean a big house. 大きな only comes before a noun.
The opposite is 小さい (chiisai, small) or 狭い (semai, narrow, cramped).
Example sentences
- このかばんは大きいですね。Kono kaban wa ōkii desu ne.This bag is big, isn't it?
- もう少し大きいサイズはありますか。Mō sukoshi ōkii saizu wa arimasu ka.Do you have a slightly bigger size?
- 新しいオフィスは広いです。Atarashii ofisu wa hiroi desu.The new office is spacious.
- 大きな地震がありました。Ōkina jishin ga arimashita.There was a big earthquake.
- 大阪は大きい町です。Ōsaka wa ōkii machi desu.Osaka is a big city.
- 大きな声で話してください。Ōkina koe de hanashite kudasai.Please speak loudly.
Kanji in this word
Questions
What is the difference between 大きい and 大きな?
They mean the same. 大きい (ōkii) can end a sentence or come before a noun. 大きな (ōkina) only comes before a noun.
How do you say "a big room" in Japanese?
Say 広い部屋 (hiroi heya). For rooms and spaces, 広い (wide, spacious) is more natural than 大きい.
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