Translation and Meaning of: 多い - ooi

If you are learning Japanese, you have probably come across the word 多い[おおい]. It is essential for describing quantities and appears frequently in everyday conversations. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and practical uses, as well as tips for memorizing it efficiently. Whether to understand phrases in animes or to communicate better, knowing 多い is an important step in your learning.

What does 多い mean and how to use it?

多い is a Japanese adjective that means "many", "numerous", or "abundant". Unlike Portuguese, it is not used directly before nouns. Instead, it appears after the term it describes or in structures like "Xは多い" (X is numerous). For example: 人が多い (there are many people).

An important particularity is that 多い does not inflect like other Japanese adjectives. You do not say "おおくの本" (incorrect), but rather "多くの本" (many books). This nuance confuses many beginner students, but mastering it makes a difference in fluency.

Origin and writing of the kanji 多

The kanji 多, present in 多い, is composed of two repeated radicals 夕 (evening). The most accepted theory suggests that this duplication represents something that accumulates, hence the meaning of "many". Sources like Kanjipedia and 漢字源 confirm this historical interpretation.

Interestingly, 多 also appears in words like 多少 (quantity) and 多分 (probably). If you memorize its stroke — starting from the upper 夕 —, you will recognize it more easily in other contexts. Writing it repeatedly helps to fix its asymmetrical shape.

Tips for memorizing and using 多い correctly

A practical way to remember 多い is to associate it with visible situations: imagine a crowded party (人が多い!) or a table full of food (食べ物が多い). This kind of concrete visualization activates long-term memory, according to studies on vocabulary acquisition.

Avoid the common mistake of using 多い before nouns. Instead of "多い本", prefer "多くの本" or "本が多い". Practice with real examples, such as song lyrics or dorama dialogues, to absorb the natural patterns of the language. Suki Nihongo offers contextualized phrases that can help in this process.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 多数 (Tasu) - A large number of people or things; many.
• 大量 (Tairyō) - An abundant or massive quantity, generally referring to objects or products.
• 豊富 (Hōfu) - Plenty or abundance, specifically in the context of resources or variety.
• 大勢 (Ōzei) - A large number of people, usually in a context of an audience or crowd.
• 多量 (Taryō) - A considerable amount, which can be used more broadly than 大量, but focusing more on volume than on mass.

多い

Romaji: ooi
Kana: おおい
Type: adjective
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: many; numerous

Meaning in English: many;numerous

Definition: Large in quantity or degree.

Example Sentences - (多い) ooi

See below some example sentences:

降水量が多い日は傘を持って出かけましょう。

Kousuiryou ga ooi hi wa kasa wo motte dekakemashou

Go out with an umbrella on days when there is a lot of rainfall.

• 降水量 - amount of rain
• が - subject particle
• 多い - very
• 日 - day
• は - Topic particle
• 傘 - umbrella
• を - object particle
• 持って - load
• 出かけましょう - let's go out

人通りが多い街は活気がある。

Hitodorigai ga ooi machi wa katsuki ga aru

The city with a lot of people movement is lively.

A city with many people is lively.

• 人通りが多い - it indicates that there are many people circulating in the area.
• 街 - means city or neighborhood.
• は - topic marker particle.
• 活気がある - it expresses that there is energy, movement, and animation in the area.

カロリーを気にする人は多いです。

Karorī o ki ni suru hito wa ōi desu

Many people worry about calories.

Many people worry about calories.

• カロリー (karorī) - calories
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 気にする (ki ni suru) - to worry, to be alert
• 人 (hito) - person
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 多い (ooi) - many
• です (desu) - verb to be, to stay

人が多いですね。

Hito ga ooi desu ne

There are many people here.

There are many people.

• 人 - 漢字 que significa "person"
• が - grammatical particle that marks the subject of the sentence
• 多い - adjective that means "many" or "much" (in the case of the sentence, "many")
• です - verb "to be" in the present, used to indicate a polite or formal statement
• ね - grammatical particle used to indicate a rhetorical question or to seek the interlocutor's agreement

私は度忘れが多いです。

Watashi wa tabi wasure ga ōi desu

I often forget.

I have a lot of forgetfulness.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 度忘れ (tabi wasure) - (noun that means "frequent forgetting")
• が (ga) - subject particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 多い (ooi) - adjective that means "very"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of the sentence