Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 沢山の | takusan no | |
| 多い | ooi | [o̞ːi] (narrow) |
沢山の is used to mean "a lot of" or "many" when modifying a noun, while 多い is used to describe the quantity or frequency of a subject. Other related terms include 沢山, 多くの and 多い to indicate a large amount.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 沢山 (takusan) is composed of the kanji 沢 (marsh/mountain stream) and 山 (mountain), though its modern usage is purely to denote quantity.
Which one should you use?
While both terms mean "a lot," their grammatical roles differ. 沢山の is used directly before a noun, such as 沢山の本 (a lot of books). In contrast, 多い is typically used as a predicate at the end of a clause, such as 本が多い (books are many).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 沢山の functions as an adjective that must be followed by a noun. The form 多い is an i-adjective used to describe the frequency or quantity of a subject, often following the pattern [Subject] が 多い.
How do you pronounce it?
takusan no
What mistakes should you avoid?
In natural Japanese, it is more common to use 多くの or 沢山の in that position.
Did you know?
- The word 多い is a linguistic cognate of 大きい (ōkii), which means 'big' or 'large'.
- The word 沢山 is often used in spoken Japanese with an emphasis that can make it sound much more enthusiastic or exaggerated than the English 'a lot'.
- While 沢山 can be used as an adverb, in very formal or written contexts, Japanese speakers often prefer 多くの to avoid sounding too conversational.
Examples in context
- 冬は火事が多い。There are a lot of fires in the winter.This sentence is useful for describing the frequency of fires in winter using 多い.Tatoeba #124353 by tommy__san, translation #899007 by CK
- 一年中雨が多い。They get a lot of rain all through the year.This sentence is useful for describing the frequency of rain throughout the year using 多い.Tatoeba #190223 by KK_kaku_, translation #1310746 by CK
- 今年は雨が多い。We've had a lot of rain this year.This sentence is useful for noting the amount of rain received this year using 多い.Tatoeba #1171014 by bunbuku, translation #243139 by CK
- 多くの人々Many people
- 多くの時間A lot of time
- 非常に多い人数A huge number of people
- たくさんの問題Numerous problems
- たくさんの勉強A lot of studying
- めっちゃおいしいSuper delicious
- めっちゃ楽しかったSuper fun
- めちゃくちゃ忙しいExtremely busy
- めちゃくちゃ上手Really skilled
- すごくたくさんの人A lot of people
- 103 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are talking about a recent trip.
- 結衣 Yui旅で沢山の写真を撮りました。Tabi de takusan no shashin o torimashita.I took a lot of photos on the trip.
- 大翔 Hirotoいいですね。見せてください。Ii desu ne. Misete kudasai.That's nice. Please show me.
- 結衣 Yuiはい、沢山の思い出があります。Hai, takusan no omoide ga arimasu.Yes, I have a lot of memories.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に楽しそうですね。Hontō ni tanoshisō desu ne.It sounds like you really had fun.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “a lot” translations and entries 多い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 多い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
