Do you realize how many adjectives you use when you describe or express something, such as feeling, personality, weather conditions, and the size and color of things? Adjectives in Japanese are various and rich in expression, so learning the top 100 Japanese adjectives will greatly improve your conversation skills in Japanese!

It’s not very difficult to learn Japanese adjectives rules, as they work in mostly the same way as they do in English grammar. Before we move onto our list, though, it’s prudent to go over Japanese adjectives rules to give you context.

So first things first: Where do Japanese adjectives go?

For example, a Japanese adjective is placed before a noun: 親切な人 (shinsetsu na hito), meaning “kind person.” Or they can follow the noun + be verb + adjective pattern: 外は寒い (soto wa samui), meaning “outside is cold.”

Most Japanese adjectives end with the sound of either Hiragana い (i) or な (na), unless it’s not in past form. An adjective consists of a stem, such as 親切 (shinsetsu), which never changes, and a suffix, such as な (na), which can change.

Ready to expand your Japanese adjectives vocabulary? You’ll enjoy speaking Japanese a lot more once you know the variety of Japanese adjectives! Here’s our top 100 Japanese adjectives list at JapanesePod101.com!

Table of Contents

1. Describing Dimension, Size, Distance & Number
2. Describing Value
3. Describing Sense
4. Japanese Adjectives for Personality & Feelings
5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.
6. Describing Colors
7. Describing Shapes
8. Describing Weather
9. Japanese Adjectives for Food: Describing Taste
10. Describing Situations
11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions
12. Describing Appearance and Condition
13. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Describing Dimension, Size, Distance & Number

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • 部屋に大きいベッドと小さい椅子があります。
    Heya ni ōkii beddo to chiisai isu ga arimasu.
    There is a big bed and a small chair in the room.

• • このカバンは重いです。
    Kono kaban wa omoi desu.
    This bag is heavy.

• • 駅はここから遠いです。
    Eki wa koko kara tōi desu.
    The station is far from here.

• あそこに高いビルがあります。
  Asoko ni takai biru ga arimasu.
  There is a tall building there.

2. Describing Value

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • 私はテストで良い結果を出した。
    Watashi wa tesuto de yoi kekka wo dashita.
    I got a good result on the test.

• • そこから素晴らしい眺めが見えます。
    Soko kara subarashii nagame ga miemasu.
    You can see a great view from there.

• • あの女性はとても美しいです。
    Ano josei wa totemo utsukushii desu.
    That lady is very beautiful.

• この安いカメラはすぐに壊れました。
  Kono yasui kamera wa sugu ni kowaremashita.
  This cheap camera broke instantly.

3. Describing Sense

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • この西陣織は柔らかい素材です。
    Kono Nishijin-ori wa yawarakai sozai desu.
    This Nishijin-ori is soft material.

• • 彼女は強い男性が好きです。
    Kanojo wa tsuyoi dansei ga suki desu.
    She likes strong men.

• • ダイヤモンドは硬い石です。
    Daiyamondo wa katai ishi desu.
    Diamond is a hard stone.

• その問題は複雑です。
  Sono mondai wa fukuzatsu desu.
  The problem is complicated.

4. Japanese Adjectives for Personality & Feelings

Looking for Japanese adjectives to describe a person? Here are the best Japanese adjectives to describe someone’s personality or feelings.

1- Vocabulary

Also visit “Which Adjective Describes Your Personality Best?” to check Japanese pronunciation, and see some more related vocabulary.

2- Example Sentences

• • 彼女は頑固な人です。
    Kanojo wa ganko na hito desu.
    She is a stubborn person.

• • 私は面白い人が大好きです。
    Watashi wa omoshiroi hito ga daisuki desu.
    I really like a funny person.

• • 試験に合格したので嬉しいです。
    Shiken ni gōkaku shita node ureshii desu.
    I am happy because I passed the exam.

• 彼は社交的な学生です。
  Kare wa shakōteki na gakusei desu.
  He is a sociable student.

To learn more about Personalities and Feelings, please read this article.

5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • インターネットが遅いのでビデオ電話ができません。
    Intānetto ga osoi node bideo-denwa ga dekimasen.
    I can’t make a video-call because the internet is slow.

• • これは簡単な問題です。
    Kore wa kantan na mondai desu.
    This is an easy problem.

• • 私は新しい携帯電話が欲しいです。
    Watashi wa atarashii keitai denwa ga hoshii desu.
    I want a new mobile phone.

• 彼は真面目な会議で笑い出しました。
  Kare wa majime na kaigi de waraidashimashita.
  He started laughing at a serious meeting.

6. Describing Colors

1- Vocabulary

“Color” is iro in Japanese.

2- Example Sentences

• • りんごは赤い種類と緑の種類があります。
    Ringo wa akai shurui to midori no shurui ga arimasu.
    Apples have a red kind and a green kind.

• • 白いライオンを見たことがありますか。
    Shiroi raion o mita koto ga arimasu ka.
    Have you seen white lions?

• • 私は暗い色の服が好きです。
    Watashi wa kurai iro no fuku ga suki desu.
    I like clothes with dark colors.

• その浴衣は鮮やかな色が特徴です。
  Sono yukata wa azayaka na iro ga tokuchō desu.
  That Yukata is characterized by vivid colors.

7. Describing Shapes

1- Vocabulary

“Shape” is katachi in Japanese.

2- Example Sentences

• • その丸い鏡を見てください。
    Sono marui kagami o mite kudasai.
    Please look at the round mirror.

• • ゴミはあの四角い箱に入れてください。
    Gomi wa ano shikakui hako ni irete kudasai.
    Please put trash in that square garbage bin.

• • 地球は球体の形をしています。
    Chikyū wa kyūtai no katachi o shite imasu.
    The earth has a spherical shape.

• この建築は立方体の形が有名です。
  Kono kenchiku wa rippōtai no katachi ga yūmei desu.
  This architecture is famous for its cubic shape.

8. Describing Weather

1- Vocabulary

Also, check out our lesson Learn the Top 15 Weather Conditions to learn how to express even more weather conditions in Japanese.

2- Example Sentences

• • 今日は寒いので手袋を持って行ってください。
    Kyō wa samui node tebukuro o motte itte kudasai.
    Please take gloves with you because today is cold.

• • 夏は30度を超える暑い日が続きます。
    Natsu wa 30-do o koeru atsui hi ga tsuzukimasu.
    Hot days with over 30 degrees continue in summer.

• • 春は暖かい気候で花見ができます。
    Haru wa atatakai kikō de hanami ga dekimasu.
    Spring has a warm climate, and flowers bloom.

• 昨日は肌寒い日でした。
  Kinō wa hadazamui hi deshita.
  Yesterday was chilly.

To learn more about weather, please visit our article all about Japanese Weather.

9. Japanese Adjectives for Food: Describing Taste

Here are the most common and important Japanese adjectives for describing food and taste!

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • 私は甘いものが大好きです。
    Watashi wa amai mono ga daisuki desu.
    I like sweets very much.

• • この梅干しは塩辛いので食べられません。
    Kono umeboshi wa shiokarai node taberaremasen.
    I can’t eat this Umeboshi because it’s salty.

• • 彼は苦いコーヒーが好きです。
    Kare wa nigai kōhī ga suki desu.
    He likes bitter coffee.

• 明日は記念日なので美味しいものを食べたい。
  Ashita wa kinenbi na node oishii mono o tabetai.
  I want to eat something delicious because tomorrow is an anniversary.

10. Describing Situations

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • これは安全な調理器具です。
    Kore wa anzen na chōri kigu desu.
    This is safe cooking equipment.

• • 私はつまらない映画で寝落ちしました。
    Watashi wa tsumaranai eiga de neochi shimashita.
    I fell asleep during the boring movie.

• • 彼は危険な橋を渡りました。
    Kare wa kiken na hashi o watarimashita.
    He crossed a dangerous bridge.

• いつも正しい行いをしなさい。
  Itsumo tadashii okonai o shinasai.
  Always do the right things.

11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • 「若い時の苦労は買ってでもせよ」ということわざがある。
    “Wakai toki no kurō wa katte demo seyo” to iu kotowaza ga aru.
    There is a proverb saying “Heavy work in youth is quiet in old age.”

• • 彼女の部屋はいつも綺麗です。
    Kanojo no heya wa itsumo kirei desu.
    Her room is always clean.

• • あの女性は素敵な靴を履いています。
    Ano josei wa suteki na kutsu o haite imasu.
    That lady wears nice shoes.

• 異常な症状が出たらすぐに電話してください。
  Ijō na shōjō ga detara sugu ni denwa shite kudasai.
  If abnormal symptoms appear, please call me immediately.

12. Describing Appearance and Condition

1- Vocabulary

2- Example Sentences

• • 彼女はいつもきちんとした服を着ています。
    Kanojo wa itsumo kichin to shita fuku o kite imasu.
    She always wears neat clothes.

• • 私は平均的な家出身です。
    Watashi wa heikinteki na ie shusshin desu.
    I am from an average family.

• 貧しい子供達のために募金をしてください。
  Mazushii kodomo-tachi no tame ni bokin o shite kudasai.
  Please donate for poor children.

13. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this Japanese adjectives lesson, we introduced the top 100 Japanese adjectives with examples. We hope this article is helpful for you, and has given you more footing to improve your Japanese vocabulary! Do you feel prepared to describe your personality and feelings?

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find a lot more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For more Japanese adjectives practice, Most Common Adjectives and Words and Phrases to Help You Describe Your Feelings are useful to help you learn pronunciation with audio. Further, Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases are essential for your conversation practice.

Know that your hard work will pay off; with enough practice, you’ll be speaking like a native in no time with JapanesePod101.com!