頭が大きい
atama ga ōkii
To say "you have a big head" in Japanese, use 頭が大きい (atama ga ōkii).
In Japanese, this phrase is used strictly to describe the physical size of someone's head. Unlike in English, it does not carry the idiomatic meaning of being conceited or arrogant.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of atama (head), the particle ga (subject marker) and ōkii (big).
How does it change in a sentence?
You can modify the adjective to change the intensity of the description. By adding sugiru to the stem of the adjective ōkii, you change the meaning to "too big" (e.g., 頭が大きすぎる).
How do you pronounce it?
atama ga ōkii
Did you know?
- If you want to say someone is 'full of themselves' using a body part, Japanese speakers might use the concept of 'nose' rather than 'head', completely bypassing the 'head' vocabulary.
- In certain contexts, the word 頭 (atama) can be used as a counter for counting animals, such as cattle or horses.
- In Japanese pop culture, the phrase 頭が大きい is often used affectionately or humorously to describe 'chibi' characters, who have oversized heads to appear cute.
Examples in context
- 彼は頭が大きいですね。Kare wa atama ga ookii desu ne.He has a big head, doesn't he?
- あの赤ちゃんは頭が大きい。Ano akachan wa atama ga ookii.That baby has a big head.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a photo of a person.
- 美咲 Misakiこの写真の人は頭が大きいね。Kono shashin no hito wa atama ga ookii ne.The person in this photo has a big head, right?
- 陽太 Yota本当だ、すごく大きいね。Hontou da, sugoku ookii ne.True, it's really big.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太くんはどう思う？Youta-kun wa dou omou?What do you think, Youta?
- 陽太 Yotaちょっと目立つね。Chotto medatsu ne.It stands out a bit.
