Japanese word of the day: 高い (Takai)

What does 高い (Takai) mean?

高い (Takai) (い-adjective) – High; tall; expensive. This versatile word is used to describe physical height, elevated position, or a high price. Whether you’re talking about a tall building, a mountain, or something costly, 高い fits perfectly.

Kanji details for 高

Character: 高 — tall, high, expensive
Radical: tall 高 (髙)

Example sentences with 高い (Takai)

• このビルはとても高いです。
  (Kono biru wa totemo takai desu.)
  🏢 This building is very tall.

• 日本の物価は高いです。
  (Nihon no bukka wa takai desu.)
  💸 The cost of living in Japan is high.

• あのレストランはちょっと高いけど美味しいです。
  (Ano resutoran wa chotto takai kedo oishii desu.)
  🍽️ That restaurant is a bit expensive, but delicious.

高い (Takai) in context

高い is one of the most common adjectives in Japanese, used to describe both physical height and price. It’s essential for talking about buildings, mountains, voices, or anything that’s tall or elevated. At the same time, it’s the go-to word when discussing costs, whether it’s food, rent, or products.

When you want to say something is “expensive,” 高い is your natural choice. For height, it’s straightforward and used in everyday conversation. It can also describe abstract things like “high quality” or “high level,” depending on context.

A quick tip: When talking about “tall” people, Japanese often use 背が高い (se ga takai) to mean “tall stature.” For “expensive,” 高い alone works well.