最大

• Reading: さいだい
• Romaji: saidai
• Kanji breakdown: 最 (sai) — most, utmost; 大 (dai/tai) — big, great, large
• Pronunciation: /sa.i.da.i/

Meaning

Biggest; greatest; largest; maximum. The highest degree or largest size possible.

A noun and no-adjective meaning the greatest or maximum. Used for both physical size and abstract quantities. Opposite of 最小 (saishō, smallest/minimum). Common in news, weather reports, and technical descriptions. Often modifies nouns directly: 最大の問題 (the biggest problem).

Examples

1. これが今年最大のイベントです。 This is the biggest event of the year.
2. 台風の最大風速は毎秒五十メートルでした。 The typhoon's maximum wind speed was fifty meters per second.
3. 最大の問題はお金が足りないことです。 The biggest problem is that we don't have enough money.

Usage Guide

Context: news, weather, business

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Combines 最 (most/utmost) and 大 (big/great). A straightforward compound meaning the most big — the maximum or greatest.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal