安い
yasui[ja̠sɨi]
The Japanese phrase for "cheap" is 安い (yasui). If unsure, use 安い. Wiktionary also lists 安価 (anka).
Meaning: low and/or reduced in price (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 安い | yasui | [ja̠sɨi] (narrow) |
| 安価 | anka |
安い is used to describe something that is low or reduced in price. Unlike in English, where calling something "cheap" might imply it is of poor quality, the Japanese word 安い is primarily used to denote a low price and does not inherently carry a negative connotation regarding quality.
Which one should you use?
安い (yasui) is a common adjective used in daily conversation. In contrast, 安価 (anka) is a more formal term used in business, technical or written contexts to describe low-priced or inexpensive items.
How do you pronounce it?
yasui
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, saying a person is 安い can be a severe insult, implying they are 'easy' or lack self-respect.
- The character 安 (cheap/peaceful) is composed of the radical for 'roof' over the character for 'woman', historically implying a woman finding peace or safety under a roof.
- While 安い refers to price, Japanese speakers use the word 軽い (light) to describe something 'cheap' in the sense of being flimsy or lacking depth.
Examples in context
- 今日は魚が安い。Fish is cheap today.This sentence shows how to use 安い to talk about the price of fish.Tatoeba #171645 by small_snow, translation #242830 by CK
- これ、すごく安いね。This is very cheap.This sentence uses 安い to emphasize how cheap something is.Tatoeba #11595058 by small_snow, translation #3825782 by CK
- このワインは安いんだ。This wine is cheap.This sentence uses 安い to describe the price of wine.Tatoeba #9176319 by small_snow, translation #9176210 by CK
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are shopping at a supermarket.
- 結衣 Yuiこのリンゴ、すごく安いよ。Kono ringo, sugoku yasui yo.These apples are really cheap.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ。たくさん買おうか。Hontou da. Takusan kaou ka.You're right. Shall we buy a lot?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、安いし、いいと思う。Un, yasui shi, ii to omou.Yeah, they're cheap, so I think it's a good idea.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、４個買おう。Jaa, yon-ko kaou.Then, let's buy four.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheap” translations and entries 安い, 安価, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
