大山
daisen
The Japanese phrase for "big mountain" is 大山 (daisen), which specifically refers to the name of a certain mountain in Japan.
While 大山 is the proper name for a specific mountain, you may encounter other ways to describe a mountain's size.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 大山 is composed of the kanji 大 (big) and 山 (mountain).
Which one should you use?
Although the kanji in 大山 can be read as daiyama to literally mean "big mountain," it is pronounced daisen when referring to the specific mountain name. If you want to describe a mountain that is gigantic or immense, use the formal expression 巨大な山. For a colloquial way to say "big mountain," you can use でかい山, or use でっかい山 to emphasize the size in an informal and emphatic way.
How do you pronounce it?
daisen
Did you know?
- In Japanese, 山 can mean a 'pile' or 'heap', meaning 大山 can be used figuratively to describe a massive amount of laundry or paperwork.
- Using the informal adjective でかい to describe a mountain can make a speaker sound like a rough character from an anime rather than a polite traveler.
- While 大山 refers to a mountain, the same characters are used as a common Japanese surname and are pronounced Oyama in that context.
Examples in context
- この国には大きな山がたくさんあります。There are many big mountains in this country.
- 日本にはでかい山がたくさんあるよ。Japan has many big mountains, you know.
- 大山はとても高いです。Daisen wa totemo takai desu.Mount Daisen is very high.
- 来週、大山に登ります。Raishū, Daisen ni noborimasu.I will climb Mount Daisen next week.
- 大山の景色は素晴らしいです。Daisen no keshiki wa subarashii desu.The view of Mount Daisen is wonderful.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about hiking during a weekend.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くん、大山に行かない？Hiroto-kun, Daisen ni ikanai?Hiroto, do you want to go to Mount Daisen?
- 大翔 Hirotoいいよ、大山に行こう！Ii yo, Daisen ni ikō!Sure, let's go to Mount Daisen!
- 陽葵 Himari準備は大変かな？Junbi wa taihen kana?Will the preparation be difficult?
- 大翔 Hiroto大丈夫、すぐできるよ。Daijōbu, sugu dekiru yo.It's okay, we can do it quickly.
