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[Unidraga]

I asked someone I like this question "私はあなたの何？"

Her reply was "大事な人".

Which I went to search for the meaning of it. What it says is just "Important person". However, I found that there are discussion between "大事な人" and "大切な人".

It is said that the meaning is similar with very slight differences.

So my question is, in what scenario are the different phrases used?
And what does it mean when she said "大事な人". I'm hoping for some native japanese insight. Am I being rejected politely?

[community.japanese]

Unidraga san,
konnichiwa.
大事 originally means an important incident, an unordinary event, an abbreviation of the serious affair and an act of being religiously awakened.
On the other hand, 大切 is from 大いに迫る and 切迫する which means “the condition of becoming tense and needing prompt action.”
The meaning of大切 became “the irreplaceable one” and “things or people I love” in the middle ages.
Consequently, 大事な人 means people who are important or related to a speaker importantly.
大切な人 means people who are not replaced and a speaker love.
However, use of them depends on people, if you want to ensure the meaning, please ask her.
Yuki 由紀
Team JapanesePod101.com