When using 貴重な (kichō na), it's important to understand it describes something of great worth, often non-material, like time or experience. While it can mean 'valuable' for objects, it emphasizes their preciousness rather than just monetary value. For instance, you might describe a rare artifact as 貴重な. However, you'd also use it for things like 'precious memories' (貴重な思い出) or 'valuable advice' (貴重なアドバイス). It carries a sense of irreplaceable importance.
When using 貴重な (kichōna), remember it's an adjective that describes something as valuable, precious, or priceless. It's often used for things that are not easily replaceable or hold significant sentimental or intrinsic worth.
You can use it for tangible items like artifacts or natural resources, as well as intangible things such as experiences or time. For example, 貴重な時間 (kichōna jikan) means "precious time."
It implies a higher degree of value than just something being "expensive." The nuance is more about rarity, irreplaceability, or deep appreciation.
§ Valuable Things in Daily Life
You've learned that 貴重な (kichōna) means valuable, precious, or priceless. Now let's see where you'd actually hear this word in everyday conversations, from work to school to the news. Understanding these contexts will help you use it naturally.
§ At Work and in Business
In a work setting, 貴重な often refers to resources, information, or even people. It emphasizes the importance and high value of something. You'll hear it in meetings, during discussions, or when thanking someone.
- Common work phrases
- 貴重なご意見 (kichōna goiken): valuable opinion/feedback
- 貴重な情報 (kichōna jōhō): valuable information
- 貴重な経験 (kichōna keiken): valuable experience
- 貴重な人材 (kichōna jinzai): valuable human resource/talent
皆様からの貴重なご意見、ありがとうございます。
Hint: Thank you for everyone's valuable opinions.
これは会社にとって貴重なデータです。
Hint: This is valuable data for the company.
§ In Academic Settings and at School
At school or in academic discussions, 貴重な is often used to describe research, historical artifacts, or opportunities. It highlights the uniqueness or scarcity of something important for learning and development.
- Academic usage
- 貴重な資料 (kichōna shiryō): valuable materials/documents
- 貴重な体験 (kichōna taiken): valuable experience
- 貴重な機会 (kichōna kikai): valuable opportunity
- 貴重な研究 (kichōna kenkyū): valuable research
これは歴史的に見て貴重な本です。
Hint: This is a historically valuable book.
留学は貴重な体験になるでしょう。
Hint: Studying abroad will be a valuable experience.
§ In News and Public Announcements
When you read or hear the news in Japanese, 貴重な often appears in contexts related to cultural heritage, rare species, or public safety. It conveys a sense of high importance and often, fragility or rarity.
- News and public contexts
- 貴重な文化財 (kichōna bunkazai): valuable cultural property/assets
- 貴重な生態系 (kichōna seitaikei): valuable ecosystem
- 貴重な証言 (kichōna shōgen): valuable testimony
- 貴重な命 (kichōna inochi): precious life (often in discussions of safety/disasters)
この地域には貴重な動植物が生息しています。
Hint: Rare/valuable flora and fauna inhabit this region.
火災から貴重な文化財が守られました。
Hint: Valuable cultural properties were protected from the fire.
As you can see, 貴重な is a versatile word used to emphasize the high value and importance of a wide range of things in various everyday and formal situations. Pay attention to how it's used in Japanese media and conversations, and try incorporating it into your own speech to sound more natural.
§ Don't confuse 貴重な with 'expensive'
While something valuable can also be expensive, 貴重な (kichouna) doesn't directly mean 'expensive.' It emphasizes the inherent worth, rarity, or importance of something, rather than its monetary cost. Think of it as 'precious' or 'priceless.' For 'expensive,' you'd typically use 高い (takai).
これは貴重な経験でした。
- Hint
- This was a precious/valuable experience.
§ Using 貴重な with abstract nouns
貴重な works very well with abstract concepts like time, experience, opportunities, and memories. It adds a layer of depth and appreciation to these nouns, emphasizing their significance beyond monetary value.
貴重な時間をありがとうございました。
- Hint
- Thank you for your valuable time.
これは私にとって貴重な思い出です。
- Hint
- This is a precious memory for me.
§ Incorrectly using 'valuable' for something just 'good'
Sometimes learners might use 貴重な when they simply mean something is 'good' or 'excellent.' While valuable things are often good, 貴重な carries a stronger sense of being irreplaceable, rare, or highly important. If something is just 'good,' terms like 良い (ii) or 素晴らしい (subarashii) are more appropriate.
彼の意見はとても貴重なものでした。
- Hint
- His opinion was very valuable (important/insightful).
§ Not using it as a な-adjective
貴重な is a な-adjective. This means it needs な (na) before a noun to modify it directly. If you forget the な, it's a grammatical error. Make sure you always include it when 貴重 is directly preceding a noun.
- Correct
- 貴重な本 (kichouna hon - valuable book)
- Incorrect
- 貴重本 (kichou hon)
§ Overusing 貴重な
While 貴重な is a great word, overusing it can make your Japanese sound unnatural. Just like in English, if everything is 'precious' or 'priceless,' the word loses its impact. Vary your vocabulary. If something is simply rare, you might use 珍しい (mezurashii). If it's important, perhaps 大切な (taisetsu na) or 重要な (juuyou na) might be better fits depending on the nuance.
- 珍しい (mezurashii): Rare, unusual. Emphasizes infrequency.
- 大切な (taisetsu na): Important, precious (often in an emotional sense, like a cherished item or person).
- 重要な (juuyou na): Important, significant (often in a formal or critical sense, like an important meeting).
これはとても珍しい切手です。
- Hint
- This is a very rare stamp.
家族は私にとって大切です。
- Hint
- Family is important/precious to me.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
これは私にとって貴重なものです。
This is precious to me.
貴重な時間をありがとうございました。
Thank you for your valuable time.
彼の経験は貴重だ。
His experience is valuable.
それはとても貴重な機会だった。
That was a very precious opportunity.
貴重なデータを見つけました。
I found valuable data.
この古い本は非常に貴重です。
This old book is extremely valuable.
皆さんのご意見は貴重です。
Everyone's opinions are valuable.
貴重なものを失くしてしまった。
I lost something precious.
貴重な体験ができました。
I was able to have a valuable experience.
この場所は貴重な自然が残っています。
This place still has precious nature remaining.
자주 혼동되는 단어
While 'valuable' is a primary translation, remember that "貴重な" often carries a stronger sense of being 'precious' or 'priceless' due to rarity, importance, or irreplaceability, beyond just monetary worth.
This is a very good fit. "貴重な" often implies something that is highly cherished or difficult to come by, similar to 'precious'.
For items or experiences of immense, irreplaceable value, 'priceless' can be an accurate translation for "貴重な".
혼동하기 쉬운
Both "貴重な" and "高価な" can refer to things that are worth a lot of money. However, their nuances are different.
"高価な" specifically means 'expensive' or 'high-priced,' focusing on the monetary value. "貴重な" means 'valuable' or 'precious,' focusing on the inherent worth, rarity, or importance, which might include monetary value but isn't limited to it.
高価な車 (こうかな くるま) - An expensive car (focus on price) 貴重な経験 (きちょうな けいけん) - A valuable experience (focus on inherent worth)
Both words express importance. "大切な" and "貴重な" can sometimes be used interchangeably, especially when talking about things that are personally important.
"大切な" means 'important,' 'cherished,' or 'dear,' often implying a strong emotional connection or personal significance. "貴重な" emphasizes rarity, high inherent worth, or something that is difficult to replace. While something precious is often important, not everything important is necessarily rare or of high inherent value in the sense of "貴重な".
大切な家族 (たいせつな かぞく) - Important/cherished family (focus on emotional connection) 貴重な時間 (きちょうな じかん) - Valuable/precious time (focus on irreplaceability)
Rarity can contribute to something being valuable, so these words are sometimes associated.
"珍しい" simply means 'rare' or 'unusual.' While something rare can often be valuable (貴重な), not everything rare is inherently valuable, and not everything valuable is necessarily rare. "貴重な" carries the nuance of high worth, whereas "珍しい" only describes its frequency.
珍しい切手 (めずらしい きって) - A rare stamp (focus on infrequency) 貴重な資料 (きちょうな しりょう) - Valuable documents (focus on worth/importance, possibly due to rarity)
This phrase directly translates to 'having value,' making it very close in meaning to "貴重な".
"価値のある" is a more general term meaning 'valuable' or 'worthwhile.' "貴重な" often implies a higher degree of value, often associated with rarity, uniqueness, or something that is highly sought after and difficult to obtain or replace. "価値のある" can apply to a broader range of things that simply have some level of value.
価値のある情報 (かちのある じょうほう) - Valuable information (general value) 貴重な情報 (きちょうな じょうほう) - Precious/invaluable information (implies high importance/rarity)
Similar to "高価な," "高級な" can describe items that are expensive and high-quality, which might also be considered valuable.
"高級な" means 'high-grade,' 'deluxe,' or 'luxury,' focusing on quality and often, but not always, price. "貴重な" focuses on inherent worth, rarity, or importance. A luxury item can be "貴重な" if it's also rare or especially significant, but not all luxury items are considered "貴重な" in the same way, especially if they are mass-produced.
高級なレストラン (こうきゅうな レストラン) - A high-class restaurant (focus on quality/luxury) 貴重な美術品 (きちょうな びじゅつひん) - Precious artwork (focus on inherent worth, often unique)
어휘 가족
명사
암기하기
기억법
Imagine a 'key show' (kichō) displaying a 'valuable' antique key. The show is very 'precious' and rare.
시각적 연상
Picture a 'key' (ki) that's so special it gets a 'chō' (ちょう - long sound for 'o') of attention. This key is incredibly valuable.
Word Web
챌린지
Think about something you own that is 'valuable' or 'precious' to you. Now, try to describe it in a simple Japanese sentence using '貴重な'.
셀프 테스트 30 질문
このプレゼントは私にとってとても___です。
The sentence means 'This present is very ___ to me.' 'Valuable' fits best here.
時間はとても___から、大切に使いましょう。
The sentence means 'Time is very ___, so let's use it carefully.' 'Precious' is the appropriate word.
これはお店で買えない、___な本です。
The sentence means 'This is a ___ book that you can't buy in a store.' 'Valuable' or 'priceless' fits the context of something unobtainable.
あなたの友情は私にとって___です。
The sentence means 'Your friendship is ___ to me.' 'Precious' expresses the value of friendship.
その経験は私の人生でとても___なものでした。
The sentence means 'That experience was very ___ in my life.' 'Valuable' or 'precious' describes a significant life experience.
この古いコインはとても___です。
The sentence means 'This old coin is very ___.' Old coins are often 'valuable' or 'priceless'.
This is my valuable time.
That information is valuable.
I had a valuable experience.
Read this aloud:
これは貴重な本です。
Focus: ki-chō-na
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
貴重なアドバイスをありがとう。
Focus: a-do-ba-i-su
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼は私にとって貴重な存在です。
Focus: son-za-i
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
この絵は私にとってとても___ものです。祖父の思い出が詰まっています。
文脈から、絵が祖父の思い出と関連しており、感情的な価値があることが示唆されています。「貴重な」は、感情的または実用的な価値があることを表すのに適しています。
その歴史的文書は、国の文化遺産として___に保護されています。
歴史的文書が「国の文化遺産」であることから、その保護は非常に重要であり、厳重に行われるべきです。
彼の助言は、プロジェクトの成功にとって___なものでした。
助言がプロジェクトの成功に不可欠であったことを考えると、「貴重な」が最も適切です。
この地域には、___な自然がまだ多く残っています。
「自然」が「多く残っている」という文脈から、その自然が特別な価値を持つことを意味しており、「貴重な」が適切です。
時間はお金では買えない___なものです。
「時間はお金では買えない」という表現は、時間の価値を強調しており、「貴重な」が最も自然な選択です。
私たちは皆、地球の___な資源を守る責任があります。
地球の資源は有限であり、その保護が重要であることから、「貴重な」が文脈に合致します。
You received a precious gift from a close friend. Describe the gift and why it's so valuable to you. Use 貴重な.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
先日、親友から手作りのアルバムをもらいました。中に貼られている写真はどれも私たちが一緒に過ごした貴重な思い出ばかりで、見るたびに心が温かくなります。このアルバムは私にとって本当に貴重な宝物です。
Imagine you're managing a historical site. Explain why it's important to preserve its valuable artifacts. Use 貴重な.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
この歴史的な場所には、数々の貴重な遺産が残されています。これらの遺産は、過去の文化や生活を今に伝える貴重な手がかりです。未来の世代に正しく伝えるためにも、私たちはこれらの遺産を大切に保存していく必要があります。
You are giving advice to a junior colleague about making the most of their time at work. Emphasize the value of their youth and opportunities. Use 貴重な.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
若い頃の経験は本当に貴重なものです。この時期にしかできないこと、学べないことがたくさんあります。失敗を恐れずに様々なことに挑戦し、貴重な経験を積んでください。あなたの成長にとってかけがえのない時間になるでしょう。
Bさんが「もう手に入らない」と言っているのは何についてですか？
Read this passage:
A: 「この古い時計、本当に貴重なものですね。」 B: 「ええ、祖父が大切にしていたもので、もう手に入らないんですよ。」 A: 「そういう話を聞くと、一層価値が感じられますね。」
Bさんが「もう手に入らない」と言っているのは何についてですか？
Bさんの発言から、その時計がもう手に入らない貴重なものであることがわかります。
Bさんの発言から、その時計がもう手に入らない貴重なものであることがわかります。
この文章が伝えたい最も重要なメッセージは何ですか？
Read this passage:
私たちは日々、多くの情報に触れています。その中には、私たちにとって本当に貴重な知識や経験につながるものもあれば、そうでないものもあります。情報を効率的に選別し、自分にとって意味のあるものを見つけることが重要です。
この文章が伝えたい最も重要なメッセージは何ですか？
文章の後半で「情報を効率的に選別し、自分にとって意味のあるものを見つけることが重要です」と明記されています。
文章の後半で「情報を効率的に選別し、自分にとって意味のあるものを見つけることが重要です」と明記されています。
このプロジェクトが「貴重な経験」となった主な理由は何ですか？
Read this passage:
今回のプロジェクトは、私たちにとって非常に貴重な経験となりました。困難な課題に直面することも多かったですが、チーム一丸となって乗り越えることで、多くのことを学びました。この経験を今後の業務に活かしていきたいと考えています。
このプロジェクトが「貴重な経験」となった主な理由は何ですか？
「困難な課題に直面することも多かったですが、チーム一丸となって乗り越えることで、多くのことを学びました」と記述されており、これが貴重な経験となった理由です。
「困難な課題に直面することも多かったですが、チーム一丸となって乗り越えることで、多くのことを学びました」と記述されており、これが貴重な経験となった理由です。
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: この歴史的な資料は非常に___です。
The sentence talks about historical documents, which are typically 'valuable' or 'precious'. 「貴重な」 (kichō na) fits this meaning best. 「新鮮な」 (shinsen na) means fresh, 「普通の」 (futsuu no) means ordinary, and 「簡単な」 (kantan na) means simple.
Which of the following best expresses 'a precious experience'?
「貴重な経験」 (kichō na keiken) directly translates to 'a valuable/precious experience'. 「新しい経験」 (atarashii keiken) is 'new experience', 「面白い経験」 (omoshiroi keiken) is 'interesting experience', and 「古い経験」 (furui keiken) is 'old experience'.
Select the sentence where 「貴重な」 is used correctly.
「貴重な」 can modify various nouns to express value or preciousness, such as water, people (meaning an invaluable person), and time. All options use 「貴重な」 correctly.
The phrase 「貴重な助言」 (kichō na jogen) means 'unnecessary advice'.
「貴重な助言」 means 'valuable advice' or 'precious advice', not 'unnecessary advice'. 「貴重な」 means valuable, precious, or priceless.
You can use 「貴重な」 to describe something that is priceless.
「貴重な」 (kichō na) can indeed mean priceless, emphasizing something's extreme value beyond monetary worth.
「貴重な」 is typically used for items that are easily replaceable.
「貴重な」 is used for things that are valuable, precious, or difficult to replace, not for easily replaceable items. The essence of '貴重な' is its irreplaceability or high worth.
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
관련 콘텐츠
history 관련 단어
王朝
A2A succession of rulers from the same family.
人物
A2A person, especially one of importance or character.
歴史的
A2Historical, pertaining to history, or historic.
中世の
B1Relating to the Middle Ages (roughly 5th to 15th century).
重要な
A2Of great significance or value.
歴史家
B1A historian, a person who studies and writes about the past.
一方で
A2On the other hand, meanwhile, or while.
〜世紀
A2A suffix indicating a specific century.
遺跡
B1The remains of a building, town, etc. from the past, especially one that is important in history or archaeology.
衰退
B1The process of a country, industry, or culture losing power, strength, or vigor and moving toward a decline.
