大変

• Reading: たいへん
• Romaji: taihen
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (tai/dai) — big, large; 変 (hen) — change, unusual, strange
• Pronunciation: /ta.i.heɴ/

Meaning

Very; greatly; terribly. Also means tough, difficult, or serious as a na-adjective.

Has two main uses. As an adverb it means 'very' or 'extremely' (大変おいしい, very delicious). As a na-adjective it means 'tough' or 'difficult' (大変な仕事, a tough job). The adverbial use is slightly more formal than とても. Context determines which meaning is intended.

Examples

1. 日本語の勉強は大変です。 Studying Japanese is tough.
2. 大変おいしい料理でした。 It was an extremely delicious meal.
3. 昨日は大変な一日でした。 Yesterday was a really rough day.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, work, emotions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 大 (big) and 変 (change/unusual). The literal sense of 'a big change' or 'something greatly out of the ordinary' evolved into meanings of severity, difficulty, and intensity.

Cultural Context

Era: Medieval

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal