Translation and Meaning of: 良い - ii

If you have already started studying Japanese, you have certainly come across the word 良い (いい), which means "good" or "nice." But do you know where it came from, how the kanji was created, or why the Japanese use this expression so much in daily life? In this article, we will explore the etymology, everyday usage, and even tips to memorize this essential term. Furthermore, you will discover how Suki Nihongo can help you with ready-made phrases to include in Anki and boost your studies.

The interesting thing about いい is that it goes far beyond a simple adjective. It appears in colloquial expressions, greetings, and even in situations where a "yes" or "no" could be replaced by it. Want to understand why the Japanese say "ii desu" when they don't want something? Or how to differentiate the tone of approval from a simple "that's fine"? Let's unravel all of this.

The origin and writing of 良い

The kanji 良 has a fascinating visual history. Its ancient pictogram represented a bowl of food with something delicious inside - hence the meaning of "good". The radical on the left (艮) originally symbolized "stop", while the one on the right (丶) was a point marking something of quality. Over time, the writing simplified, but it retained this idea of excellence.

Interestingly, although the kanji exists, Japanese people often write only いい in hiragana in everyday situations. This happens especially when the word appears alone or in short responses. In formal texts or when combined like 良かった (yokatta - "that's good"), the kanji makes a strong comeback. This duality between formal and casual is part of the charm of this versatile little word.

Everyday use and cultural nuances

In practice, いい functions like a wildcard in conversations. An enthusiastic "ii ne!" can show admiration for something, while a softer "ii yo" conveys permission. But be careful with the context! An "ii desu" said with hesitation and a downward glance usually means "no, thank you" - the Japanese avoid direct negatives and use いい as a polite smoke screen.

In stores, you will hear "ii desu ka?" when the seller wants to know if you need help. Among friends, "ii kanji!" describes something with a good vibe. It even appears in complaints: "mou ii!" (that's enough!) shows exasperation. This adaptability makes いい one of the first words that foreigners learn - and one of the last that they completely master, precisely because of its subtleties.

Tips for memorizing and not forgetting

To fix いい in memory, associate the sound with the expression "iiih, how cool!". The kanji 良 also appears in other positive words such as 良質 (ryoushitsu - good quality) and 良品 (ryouhin - good product). Creating flashcards with images of situations where you would use "ii" (like complimenting food or agreeing with someone) helps to memorize the meaning contextually.

One foolproof technique is to pay attention to dialogues in doramas or animes. When you hear "sou desu ka? ii desu ne!", mentally note the context. Soon you'll notice patterns - like the rising tone for questions ("ii?") versus the falling tone for statements ("ii."). And when you're in Japan, try using "ii" instead of our "okay" - the locals will appreciate your effort!

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 優れた (Sugureta) - Excellent, highlighted
• 良好な (Ryōkōna) - Good, in good condition
• 素晴らしい (Subarashii) - Wonderful, magnificent
• 好ましい (Konamashii) - Preferable, desirable
• 上等な (Jōtōna) - High quality, superior
• すばらしい (Subarashii) - Wonderful, magnificent

良い

Romaji: ii
Kana: いい
Type: adjective
L: jlpt-n3, jlpt-n1, jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: good

Meaning in English: good

Definition: excellent, excellent.

Example Sentences - (良い) ii

See below some example sentences:

今日は良い天気ですね。

Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne

Today is a good time

It's good weather today.

• 今日 (kyou) - today
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 良い (yoi) - good
• 天気 (tenki) - time weather
• です (desu) - verb to be (educated)
• ね (ne) - confirmation particle

体を鍛えることは健康に良いです。

Karada wo kitaeru koto wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Exercising the body is good for health.

Training your body is good for your health.

• 体を鍛えること - means "exercising the body".
• は - topic particle.
• 健康に - means "for health".
• 良いです - means "it's good".

大便をするのは健康に良いです。

Oshikko wo suru no wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Doing poop is good for health.

It's good for your health to make feces.

• 大便をする - defecate
• のは - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 健康に - healthily
• 良い - good
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

昼寝は健康に良いです。

Chuune wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Nap is good for your health.

• 昼寝 (hirune) - nap during the day
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 健康 (kenkou) - health
• に (ni) - grammatical particle that indicates the purpose or target of the action
• 良い (yoi) - good
• です (desu) - polite way of being

来年は良い年になります。

Rainen wa yoi toshi ni narimasu

Next year will be a good year.

• 来年 - Next year
• は - Topic particle
• 良い - good
• 年 - Year
• に - target particle
• なります - become

禁煙は健康に良いです。

Kin'en wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Smoking is good for your health.

• 禁煙 - "禁煙" em japonês.
• は - It is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 健康 - It means "health" in Japanese.
• に - It is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the relationship between two things.
• 良い - A tradução de "bom" em japonês é "良い" (yoi).
• です - It is a polite way to say "is" in Japanese.

私の姉妹はとても仲が良いです。

Watashi no shimai wa totemo naka ga yoi desu

My sisters are very close.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• の (no) - possession particle in Japanese, indicating that the next word is possessed by "me"
• 姉妹 (shimai) - means "sisters" in Japanese
• は (wa) - topic particle in Japanese, indicating that the subject of the sentence is "sisters"
• とても (totemo) - adverb in Japanese, meaning "a lot"
• 仲 (naka) - means "relationship" in Japanese
• が (ga) - subject particle in Japanese, indicating that "relationship" is the subject of the sentence
• 良い (yoi) - Japanese adjective meaning "good"
• です (desu) - verb to be in Japanese, indicating that the sentence is in the present tense and is affirmative

私の気分は良いです。

Watashi no kibun wa ii desu

I'm feeling well.

My mood is good.

• 私 - personal pronoun meaning "I" in Japanese.
• の - Title that indicates possession or expiration.
• 気分 - noun that means "state of mind" or "mood".
• は - Particle that marks the topic of the sentence.
• 良い - adjective meaning "good" or "pleasant."
• です - verb to be in the present, used to indicate a statement or a current situation.

私たちは良い間柄です。

Watashitachi wa yoi magara desu

We have a good relationship.

We are a good relationship.

• 私たちは - 私たち
• 良い - good in Japanese
• 間柄 - "Relationship" in Japanese.
• です - "is" in Japanese (verb to be)

笑うことは健康に良いです。

Warau koto wa kenkou ni yoi desu

Laughing is good for health.

Laughing is good for your health.

• 笑うこと - means "to laugh" or "to smile".
• は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "to laugh" or "to smile".
• 健康に - means "for health".
• 良い - means "good" or "positive".
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form.