When you're just starting out in Japanese, learning how to describe things is super useful. The word "yūmei" (有名) is a great one to add to your vocabulary. It means "famous."
You'll often hear "yūmei" used to talk about places, people, or things that a lot of people know. For example, a famous landmark or a well-known actor.
It's an い-adjective, so you can use it directly before a noun, like "yūmei na resutoran" (有名なレストラン) for "a famous restaurant."
This word is pretty common in everyday Japanese conversations, so it's good to get familiar with it early on.
When talking about something or someone famous in Japanese, you'll often use the adjective 有名 (yūmei). It's a straightforward word that directly translates to 'famous' or 'well-known'.
You can use it to describe people, places, things, or even concepts. For example, if you want to say 'Mount Fuji is famous,' you would say '富士山は有名です (Fujisan wa yūmei desu)'.
It can also be used as a pre-noun adjective by adding の, like in '有名な人 (yūmei na hito)', meaning 'a famous person'.
While there are other ways to express renown, 有名 is a very common and versatile term you'll encounter frequently.
§ Understanding Youmei (有名)
Youmei (有名) is a common Japanese adjective meaning 'famous'. It's an A2 level word, so it's good to get familiar with it early on. This isn't a difficult word, but knowing how to use it correctly in different sentence structures is important for natural-sounding Japanese.
§ Basic Sentence Structure with Youmei (有名)
Youmei (有名) is a 'na-adjective' (形容動詞, keiyōdōshi). This means it behaves a bit differently than 'i-adjectives'.
§ Attributing 'Famous' to a Noun
When you want to say 'a famous [noun]', you use the particle 'na' (な) after Youmei (有名) and before the noun.
有名なレストランです。
- Hint
- It is a famous restaurant.
彼女は有名な歌手です。
- Hint
- She is a famous singer.
Remember, this 'na' particle is crucial for na-adjectives when they directly modify a noun. Don't skip it!
§ Saying a Noun 'Is Famous'
When you want to state that a noun 'is famous', you use 'desu' (です) after Youmei (有名).
そのお寺はとても有名です。
- Hint
- That temple is very famous.
この絵は世界的に有名です。
- Hint
- This painting is world-famous.
Here, 'desu' acts as the copula, meaning 'is' or 'are'.
§ Using Youmei (有名) with the Particle 'Ni' (に)
Youmei (有名) can also be used with the particle 'ni' (に) to describe something becoming famous, or to describe something as being famous for something specific. This is a slightly more advanced usage but still very practical.
§ Becoming Famous: Youmei ni Naru (有名になる)
To say something 'becomes famous', you use 'Youmei ni naru' (有名になる).
彼は俳優として有名になりました。
- Hint
- He became famous as an actor.
その歌はすぐに有名になりました。
- Hint
- That song quickly became famous.
'Naru' (なる) means 'to become'. When you combine it with a na-adjective, you use 'ni' (に) before 'naru'.
§ Famous For: ~de Youmei (で有名) or ~ni Tsuite Youmei (について有名)
To express what something is famous for, you often use the particle 'de' (で) or 'ni tsuite' (について) after the reason for fame and before 'Youmei' (有名).
京都はお寺で有名です。
- Hint
- Kyoto is famous for its temples.
その作家は歴史小説について有名です。
- Hint
- That author is famous for historical novels.
§ Negating 'Famous': Not Famous
To say something is 'not famous', you use 'de wa arimasen' (ではありません) or 'ja arimasen' (じゃありません) after Youmei (有名).
Formal: 有名ではありません (Youmei de wa arimasen)
Informal: 有名じゃない (Youmei ja nai)
そのお店はまだあまり有名ではありません。
- Hint
- That shop is not very famous yet.
このブランドは日本では有名じゃない。
- Hint
- This brand is not famous in Japan.
These are essential grammatical structures for using na-adjectives like Youmei (有名). Practice these patterns, and you'll be able to express 'famous' naturally in Japanese sentences.
§ Don't confuse it with other words for 'well-known' or 'popular'.
While 有名 (yūmei) means 'famous,' it's specifically about being widely known. Japanese has other words that describe popularity or being well-regarded, and it's easy to mix them up. For example, 人気がある (ninki ga aru) means 'popular' and is used when something or someone is liked by many people. 有名 (yūmei) doesn't necessarily imply popularity; something can be famous without being particularly liked.
あの俳優はとても有名ですが、あまり人気がありません。
That actor is very famous, but not very popular.
このレストランはとても人気があります。
This restaurant is very popular.
§ Using it incorrectly with nouns.
有名 (yūmei) is a な-adjective. This means when it directly modifies a noun, you need to add な between 有名 and the noun. A common mistake for learners is to forget this な, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. You'll often hear phrases like 有名な場所 (yūmeina basho - famous place) or 有名な人 (yūmeina hito - famous person).
- Incorrect
- 有名場所 (yūmei basho)
- Correct
- 有名な場所 (yūmeina basho)
これはとても有名なお寺です。
This is a very famous temple.
§ Overusing it when other expressions are more natural.
While 有名 (yūmei) is a perfectly good word, sometimes a different expression might sound more natural depending on the context. For instance, if you're talking about a place that's a well-known tourist spot, you might use 観光地 (kankōchi - tourist destination). If you're referring to a well-known landmark, simply stating its name is often enough, as its fame is implied.
東京タワーは有名な観光地です。
Tokyo Tower is a famous tourist destination.
You could also say:
東京タワーは観光地です。
Tokyo Tower is a tourist destination.
The second sentence is often more natural because Tokyo Tower's fame as a tourist spot is understood without explicitly stating it's 'famous.'
§ Not understanding its nuance compared to 著名 (chomei).
While both 有名 (yūmei) and 著名 (chomei) can be translated as 'famous,' 著名 (chomei) often implies a higher degree of renown, usually for achievements or contributions in a specific field, and it tends to be used in more formal contexts. 有名 (yūmei) is more general and can apply to anything that is widely known, from a person to a brand to a local restaurant.
有名 (yūmei): General fame, widely known, can be informal. Example: 有名なカフェ (yūmeina kafe - a famous cafe).
著名 (chomei): Highly distinguished, renowned, often for achievements, more formal. Example: 著名な科学者 (chomeina kagakusha - a renowned scientist).
彼は著名な学者です。
He is a renowned scholar.
Fun Fact
The kanji 有 (yū) means 'to have' and 名 (mei) means 'name'. So, literally, 'yūmei' means 'to have a name'.
Examples by Level
その俳優は新しい映画で非常に有名になりました。
That actor became very famous with their new movie.
このレストランは地元の食材を使っていることで有名です。
This restaurant is famous for using local ingredients.
富士山は日本で最も有名な山の一つです。
Mt. Fuji is one of the most famous mountains in Japan.
彼女は世界的に有名なピアニストです。
She is a globally famous pianist.
彼の作品は海外でも有名になりつつあります。
His work is becoming famous even overseas.
この都市は歴史的な建造物で有名です。
This city is famous for its historical buildings.
その大学は研究分野で有名です。
That university is famous in the field of research.
彼は有名なサッカー選手として知られています。
He is known as a famous soccer player.
その俳優は国内外で有名だ。
That actor is famous both domestically and internationally.
このレストランは美味しい料理で有名です。
This restaurant is famous for its delicious food.
彼の作品は芸術界で非常に有名になった。
His work became very famous in the art world.
その観光地は桜の名所として有名です。
That tourist spot is famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot.
彼女は慈善活動でも有名だ。
She is also famous for her charitable activities.
この大学は研究の分野で有名です。
This university is famous in the field of research.
彼の名前は歴史上有名だ。
His name is famous in history.
そのブランドは高品質で世界的に有名です。
That brand is globally famous for its high quality.
Idioms & Expressions
"有名無実 (yūmei-mujitsu)"
in name only, nominal, titular
彼は有名無実の社長だ。(He's a president in name only.)
neutral"有名税 (yūmei-zei)"
the price of fame, a burden that comes with being famous
有名税は彼にとって重荷だった。(The price of fame was a heavy burden for him.)
neutral"悪名高い (akumyō-takai)"
infamous, notorious
その地域は悪名高いギャングの隠れ家だった。(That area was a hideout for an infamous gang.)
neutral"名が売れる (na ga ureru)"
to become famous, to gain recognition
彼は急に名が売れた。(He suddenly became famous.)
neutral"名を馳せる (na o haseru)"
to make a name for oneself, to become renowned
彼は世界中に名を馳せた。(He made a name for himself around the world.)
formal"名声を得る (meisei o eru)"
to gain fame, to achieve renown
彼女は女優として名声を得た。(She gained fame as an actress.)
formal"名が通る (na ga tōru)"
to be well-known, to be recognized
彼の名前はこの業界ではよく名が通っている。(His name is well-known in this industry.)
neutral"世に知られる (yo ni shirareru)"
to become known to the world, to be widely recognized
彼の作品は世に知られるようになった。(His works became known to the world.)
neutral"一躍有名になる (ichiyaku yūmei ni naru)"
to suddenly become famous, to shoot to fame
その歌手は一躍有名になった。(That singer suddenly became famous.)
neutral"お墨付き (osumitsuki)"
official approval, endorsement (often from a famous or authoritative person)
彼の料理はお墨付きだ。(His cooking has the official seal of approval.)
neutralMemorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'UFO' landing in a 'Mei' (May) flower field. Everyone would know about it, making it 'famous'.
Visual Association
Picture a famous movie star on a red carpet, with bright lights flashing and everyone cheering. This person is 'famous' (有名).
Word Web
Challenge
Try to describe something famous using 有名. For example: - あの歌手はとても有名です。(Ano kashu wa totemo yūmei desu. - That singer is very famous.) - 富士山は日本で一番有名な山です。(Fujisan wa Nihon de ichiban yūmei na yama desu. - Mount Fuji is the most famous mountain in Japan.)
Word Origin
From Middle Chinese 'yewX-myeng' (有名).
Original meaning: having name, famous
Sino-Japanese (kango)Cultural Context
Being 'yūmei' in Japan can bring a lot of attention, both positive and negative. There's a strong emphasis on group harmony, so individual fame can sometimes be viewed with a mix of admiration and a touch of envy. It's also often associated with celebrities and well-known landmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsThe Japanese word for 'famous' is 有名 (yūmei). It's an adjective.
Yes, absolutely! You can say 「有名人 (yūmeijin)」 for a famous person, or describe someone directly like 「彼は有名な俳優です (Kare wa yūmei na haiyū desu)」, meaning 'He is a famous actor.'
While 有名 (yūmei) usually has a positive or neutral connotation, implying widespread recognition, it can sometimes be used in contexts that aren't necessarily 'good,' but still mean 'well-known.' For example, a notorious criminal could also be 'famous' for their crimes.
You can use it like this: 「このレストランはとても有名です (Kono resutoran wa totemo yūmei desu)」 meaning 'This restaurant is very famous.' Or with the particle な before a noun: 「有名な場所 (yūmei na basho)」 for 'a famous place.'
有名 (yūmei) means 'famous' or 'well-known,' indicating broad recognition. 人気 (ninki) means 'popular' and implies that something is well-liked by many people. Something can be famous without being popular, and vice versa, although often they go hand-in-hand.
For 有 (yū), think of having 'hands' holding 'meat' and 'a moon,' meaning 'to possess' or 'to exist.' For 名 (mei), think of 'evening' (夕) and 'mouth' (口), as in speaking your 'name' in the evening. Together, it hints at having a well-known name.
有名 (yūmei) is considered an A2 level vocabulary word, meaning it's quite common and useful for beginners.
Yes, 有名 (yūmei) is versatile and can describe all of them! For example: 「有名な本 (yūmei na hon - a famous book)」「有名な都市 (yūmei na toshi - a famous city)」「有名な歌手 (yūmei na kashu - a famous singer)」.
有名 (yūmei) is a な-adjective (na-keiyoushi). This means it takes な when directly modifying a noun (e.g., 有名な場所) and です when used at the end of a sentence (e.g., 有名です).
Since 有名 (yūmei) is a な-adjective, you'd use 「有名じゃない (yūmei janai)」 for 'not famous' and 「有名じゃなかった (yūmei janakatta)」 for 'was not famous.' For the past tense, it's 「有名だった (yūmei datta)」 for 'was famous.'
Test Yourself 42 questions
Write a short sentence saying your friend is famous.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私の友達は有名です。
Write a sentence saying a place is not famous.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
この場所は有名じゃないです。
Write a question asking if a person is famous.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
あの人は有名ですか。
What is famous in the passage?
Read this passage:
これは東京タワーです。とても有名です。たくさんの人が来ます。
What is famous in the passage?
The passage states 'これは東京タワーです。とても有名です。' (This is Tokyo Tower. It is very famous.)
The passage states 'これは東京タワーです。とても有名です。' (This is Tokyo Tower. It is very famous.)
Is he famous?
Read this passage:
彼は有名ではありません。でも、彼の音楽はとてもいいです。
Is he famous?
The passage says '彼は有名ではありません。' (He is not famous.)
The passage says '彼は有名ではありません。' (He is not famous.)
Why is the singer famous?
Read this passage:
この歌手は有名です。彼女の歌はいつも人気があります。テレビによく出ます。
Why is the singer famous?
The passage states '彼女の歌はいつも人気があります。テレビによく出ます。' (Her songs are always popular. She appears on TV often.)
The passage states '彼女の歌はいつも人気があります。テレビによく出ます。' (Her songs are always popular. She appears on TV often.)
Choose the correct kanji for 'famous'.
有名 (yūmei) means famous. The kanji 有 (aru) means to have or exist, and 名 (na) means name.
Which of these is the most appropriate sentence using '有名'?
有名 (yūmei) is used to describe things or people that are well-known. A book can be famous, but a cat or a desk typically aren't unless specifically qualified.
How do you say 'a famous singer' in Japanese?
In Japanese, adjectives usually come before the noun they modify. So, 'famous singer' is 有名 (yūmei) + 歌手 (kashu).
東京タワーは有名ではありません。 (Tōkyō Tawā wa yūmei dewa arimasen.)
The Tokyo Tower is a very famous landmark in Japan, so the statement 'Tokyo Tower is not famous' is false.
このレストランはとても有名です。 (Kono resutoran wa totemo yūmei desu.) means 'This restaurant is very famous.'
はい、その通りです。 (Hai, sono tōri desu.) 'Totemo' means 'very', and 'yūmei desu' means 'is famous'.
有名 (yūmei) can be used to describe something unknown.
有名 (yūmei) specifically means 'famous' or 'well-known', so it cannot be used to describe something unknown.
このレストランはとても___なので、いつも予約でいっぱいです。
文脈から、レストランが予約でいっぱいになる理由として「有名な」が適切です。
彼は新しい映画で___俳優と共演します。
「共演する」という文脈から、相手の俳優が「有名な」であることが自然です。
この絵は世界中で___芸術家によって描かれました。
「世界中で」という言葉から、その芸術家が「有名な」であることがわかります。
彼女は___歌手になりたいと思っています。
歌手になる目標として「有名な」歌手が一般的です。
このお祭りはその美しい花火で___です。
「〜で有名です」という表現が適切です。
京都にはたくさんの___お寺があります。
京都のお寺について説明する際、「有名な」はよく使われる形容詞です。
Choose the correct sentence: That singer is famous in Japan.
To say 'famous' in Japanese, we use 有名 (yūmei) along with the particle で (de) to indicate 'in Japan'.
Which of these places is a famous tourist spot?
Tokyo Tower is a well-known landmark, making it a famous tourist spot.
If something is not famous, how would you say it?
To negate an adjective like 有名 (yūmei), you use ではありません (dewa arimasen).
富士山は日本で有名ではありません。
Mount Fuji (富士山) is indeed very famous in Japan.
このレストランは美味しいですが、あまり有名ではありません。
The sentence states 'This restaurant is delicious, but it's not very famous,' which is a grammatically correct and plausible statement.
彼の名前は世界中で有名です。
The sentence means 'His name is famous all over the world,' which is a valid use of 有名 (yūmei).
The actor has appeared in many famous movies.
This restaurant is famous, but reservations are difficult to get.
She is a world-famous pianist.
Read this aloud:
この絵画は有名ですが、作者はあまり知られていません。
Focus: yuumei, sakusha, shira rete imasen
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
そのお寺は美しい庭園で有名です。
Focus: otera, utsukushii teien, yuumei desu
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼はその分野で最も有名な研究者の一人です。
Focus: sono bunya, mottomo yuumei, kenkyuusha
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'His name is famous worldwide.' The particle の connects '彼' (he/his) and '名前' (name). 'は' is the topic marker. '世界中' means worldwide, and 'で' indicates the scope. '有名です' means 'is famous'.
This sentence means 'That restaurant is famous for its fresh seafood.' 'その' means 'that'. 'レストラン' is restaurant. 'は' is the topic marker. '新鮮な' means fresh (attributive form). '魚介類' means seafood. 'で有名です' means 'is famous for'.
This sentence means 'She is one of the most famous researchers in that field.' '彼女' means she. 'は' is the topic marker. 'その分野' means that field. 'で' indicates the location/scope. '最も' means most. '有名な' is the attributive form of famous. '研究者' means researcher. 'の一人です' means 'is one of'.
This sentence means 'That actress is internationally famous.' The structure follows the typical Japanese subject-topic marker-adverb-verb/adjective order.
This translates to 'His research is very famous in academic circles.' The order is possessive-noun-topic marker-location-topic marker-adverb-adjective.
This sentence means 'This painting is famous for its delicate depiction.' The 'で' particle indicates the reason or cause for being famous.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Example
あの寺は有名です。
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Phrases
More general words
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
