A2 Collocation Neutre

大事な約束

daiji na yakusoku

Important promise

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use {大事な約束|だいじなやくそく} to describe a commitment that carries significant personal or professional weight.

  • Means: A promise or appointment that is significant and must be honored.
  • Used in: Canceling plans, apologizing for lateness, or emphasizing reliability.
  • Don't confuse: {大事|だいじ} (important) with {大きな|おおきな} (big/large).
Heart (care) + Calendar (appointment) = {大事な約束|だいじなやくそく}

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means an important promise. You use it when you have a meeting or a plan that you cannot change. It is very useful for talking about your schedule.
This is a common collocation used to describe a commitment that has high priority. It is often used when you need to explain why you are busy or why you cannot attend an event. It shows that you value your time and your relationships.
The phrase {大事な約束} functions as a social marker of reliability. By labeling a commitment as 'important,' the speaker invites the listener to respect their boundaries. It is frequently employed in apologies to demonstrate that the speaker is aware of the social consequences of their actions.
In Japanese discourse, {大事な約束} serves as a linguistic tool to navigate social obligations. It is a strategic phrase used to mitigate the impact of a refusal or a cancellation by framing the prior commitment as non-negotiable. This reflects the cultural emphasis on maintaining harmony through clear communication of priorities.
The collocation {大事な約束} operates within the framework of Japanese social pragmatics, where the distinction between 'tatemae' (public face) and 'honne' (true feelings) is mediated by such expressions. It functions as a face-saving device, allowing the speaker to prioritize a commitment without explicitly rejecting the current interlocutor. The use of 'daiji' elevates the status of the promise, effectively creating a hierarchy of social obligations that the listener is socially compelled to acknowledge.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, {大事な約束} is a conceptual metaphor where 'importance' is mapped onto the 'binding' nature of a promise. The phrase encapsulates the cultural ethos of 'shin-yo' (trust/credit), where the act of keeping a promise is synonymous with the preservation of the self in the social collective. Its usage is highly context-dependent, requiring the speaker to calibrate the perceived 'importance' relative to the listener's expectations, thereby functioning as a sophisticated instrument of social negotiation and interpersonal management.

Signification

A pledge or commitment that holds significant weight and should be kept.

🌍

Contexte culturel

Promises are seen as extensions of one's character.

💡

Use it for emphasis

Don't overuse it, or it loses its impact.

Signification

A pledge or commitment that holds significant weight and should be kept.

💡

Use it for emphasis

Don't overuse it, or it loses its impact.

Teste-toi

Fill in the blank with the correct word.

今日は＿＿＿約束があるので、行けません。

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 大事な

We use 'daiji' for importance, not physical size.

🎉 Score : /1

Aides visuelles

Questions fréquentes

1 questions

Yes, it is very common in business.

Expressions liées

🔗

約束を守る

builds on

To keep a promise

Où l'utiliser

🎉

Declining a party

Friend: 今夜のパーティー来る？

You: ごめん、その日は{大事な約束|だいじなやくそく}があって。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a giant 'D' (Daiji) locking a 'Promise' (Yakusoku) in a safe.

Visual Association

A person looking at a calendar with a big red heart on a specific date, looking determined.

Story

Ken had a date. He forgot it. He felt bad. He realized it was a 'daiji na yakusoku'. Now he uses a calendar.

Word Web

約束守る大事大切予定信頼

Défi

Use the phrase in a roleplay where you have to cancel plans with a friend.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Un compromiso importante

Spanish 'compromiso' can also mean a romantic engagement.

French high

Un engagement important

French uses 'engagement' which feels slightly more formal than 'yakusoku'.

German moderate

Ein wichtiger Termin

Japanese 'yakusoku' is broader than just a scheduled time.

Japanese n/a

大事な約束

N/A

Arabic moderate

موعد مهم

Arabic lacks the specific 'promise' nuance in this context.

Chinese high

重要的约定

Chinese 'yueding' is very similar to 'yakusoku'.

Korean high

중요한 약속

Usage is nearly identical in social contexts.

Portuguese high

Um compromisso importante

Slightly more common to use 'compromisso' for social plans.

Easily Confused

大事な約束 vs 大きな約束

Learners think 'big' means 'important'.

Use 'daiji' for importance.

FAQ (1)

Yes, it is very common in business.

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