長い

• Reading: ながい
• Romaji: nagai
• Kanji breakdown: 長 (naga/chou) — long, leader, senior
• Pronunciation: /na.ɡa.i/

Meaning

Long. Describes length in distance, time, or duration.

An i-adjective used for physical length (hair, roads, objects) as well as temporal duration (vacations, movies, speeches). Conjugates regularly: 長くない, 長かった, 長くなかった. Often paired with 短い (short) as an antonym pair in textbooks.

Examples

1. 夏休みはとても長いです。 Summer vacation is really long.
2. 姉の髪は長くてきれいです。 My older sister's hair is long and beautiful.
3. この映画は少し長かったです。 This movie was a little long.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, descriptions, time

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 長 originally depicted a person with long flowing hair, symbolising length.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal