すごい

• Reading: すごい
• Romaji: sugoi
• Pronunciation: /sɯ.ɡo.i/

Meaning

Amazing, awesome, incredible — the most versatile and common expression of admiration in Japanese.

すごい is arguably the single most useful exclamation in casual Japanese. While it literally means 'terrific' or 'to an extreme degree,' it functions as an all-purpose reaction of awe, surprise, or praise. It can modify adjectives as an adverb (すごく美味しい = super delicious) or stand alone as an exclamation. Its versatility and politeness range make it one of the first words learners master and the last they stop needing.

Examples

1. え、独学で日本語覚えたの？すごくない？ Wait, you learned Japanese on your own? Isn't that amazing?
2. すごい！一発で合格したんだ！ Wow! You passed on the first try!
3. このアプリすごい便利だから使ってみて。 This app is super useful, so you should try it.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, daily life, reactions, social media

Tone: impressed, excited, admiring

Do Say

• すごい綺麗な夜景だね (What an amazingly beautiful night view)
• えー、すごいじゃん！おめでとう！ (Wow, that's amazing! Congratulations!)

Don't Say

• 上司のプレゼンに「すごーい」はNG (Saying 'sugōi' with drawn-out vowel to your boss sounds condescending — use 素晴らしいです)

Common Mistakes

• Using すごい as an adverb instead of すごく in formal writing — すごい便利 is casual; すごく便利 is grammatically proper
• Drawing out the vowel すごーい in professional settings — it sounds childish or insincere

Origin & History

From classical Japanese 凄い meaning 'frightful/terrible.' The meaning shifted over centuries from negative (dreadful) to positive (amazing), similar to English 'terrific.' Standard vocabulary for centuries, universally used.

Cultural Context

Era: Centuries old, universally used across all eras

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. The drawn-out すごーい is stereotypically associated with young women reacting to stories. すげー is the masculine rough variant. One of the most frequently used words in the Japanese language.