頭がいい
atama ga ii
To say someone is smart in Japanese, use 頭がいい (atama ga ii).
The phrase 頭がいい describes a person who possesses a quick mind or high intelligence. You can turn this into a conversational compliment or an observation that seeks agreement by adding the particle ne to the end, resulting in 頭がいいですね (You are smart, aren't you?). While 頭がいい often refers to academic intelligence or being quick-witted, the term 賢い implies a deeper, more seasoned wisdom or cleverness. For a more formal context that emphasizes a person's wisdom and smart decision-making skills, you can use 知恵がある.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'head is good', where 頭 (atama) means head and いい (ii) means good.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective いい is irregular when changing forms. To say someone is not smart, change it to the negative form 頭がよくない. To express that someone was smart in the past, use the past tense form 頭がよかったです.
How do you pronounce it?
atama ga ii
Did you know?
- When describing someone as cunning or 'street smart', the term 抜け目ない (nukemenai) is used, which literally means 'having no holes'.
- To describe a person who can think quickly or multitask, Japanese speakers use the phrase 頭が回る, which literally translates to 'the head rotates'.
- While 頭がいい is a standard compliment, using it directly to praise a superior can backfire, as it may be perceived as an arrogant or overly evaluative judgment of their abilities.
Examples in context
- あなたは頭がいいですねYou are smart!
- 彼女は本当に賢い学者ですShe is a truly intelligent scholar.
- 君は本当に知識が豊富だねYou are really knowledgeable!
- 兄は頭の回転が速いよMy brother is quick-witted!
- 彼はとても頭がいいですね。Kare wa totemo atama ga ii desu ne.He is very smart, isn't he?
- あの人は頭がいいです。Ano hito wa atama ga ii desu.That person is smart.
- 妹は頭がいいです。Imouto wa atama ga ii desu.My younger sister is smart.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a classmate at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki田中さんは頭がいいね。Tanaka-san wa atama ga ii ne.Tanaka is smart, right?
- 健太 Kentaうん、本当に頭がいいよ。Un, hontou ni atama ga ii yo.Yeah, he really is smart.
- 美咲 Misaki勉強もできるよね。Benkyou mo dekiru yo ne.He's also good at studying.
- 健太 Kentaそうだね。Sou da ne.That's true.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 頭がいい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
