尊い

• Reading: たっとい
• Romaji: tattoi
• Kanji breakdown: 尊 (son/tatto/touto) — precious, noble, revered, sacred
• Pronunciation: /ta.t.to.i/

Meaning

Precious; sacred; noble; of inestimable value. Describes something or someone of the highest worth, dignity, or sanctity that transcends ordinary valuation.

An i-adjective with two standard readings: とうとい (tōtoi) in most modern everyday contexts, and たっとい (tattoi) in classical, poetic, or literary usage. The word expresses reverential worth—a life is 尊い, a sacrifice is 尊い, a deity is 尊い. It transcends monetary or practical value to imply something that must be cherished and protected. In recent internet culture, 尊い has gained a slang usage among fans meaning 'so beautiful/perfect it feels sacred,' but the literary meaning remains dominant in formal registers.

Examples

1. 一人ひとりの命は等しく尊く、どんな理由があろうと奪われるべきではない。 Every single life is equally precious, and it should never be taken away regardless of the reason.
2. 先人たちの尊い犠牲の上に、今日の平和が成り立っていることを忘れてはならない。 We must never forget that the peace we enjoy today is built upon the precious sacrifices of those who came before us.
3. 時間は誰にとっても平等に与えられた尊いものだと、老境に入って改めて実感した。 It was only upon entering old age that he felt anew how time, given equally to all, is a truly precious thing.

Usage Guide

Context: morality, religion, life values, history, sacrifice

Tone: positive

Origin & History

From Old Japanese tattoshi (precious/noble), derived from the verb tatto-mu (to revere/to value highly). The kanji 尊 depicts a hand offering a vessel of liquor in a gesture of reverence, perfectly capturing the sense of treating something as sacred and worthy of the highest respect.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal