程度・数量

参加者さんかしゃの大半たいはんが学生がくせいだった。

Most of the participants were students.

Usage 大半 = the greater part, most: 〜の大半, 大半を占める (make up the majority). ほとんど is the everyday word; 大部分 (だいぶぶん) is similar.

Remember it 大 (large) + 半 (half) → more than half, the large half.

賛成さんせいが過半数かはんすうを超こえたので、案あんは可決かけつされた。

Those in favor made up more than half, so the proposal was passed.

Usage 過半数 is a majority of more than half, used for votes: 過半数を占める, 過半数に達する. 多数 is simply a large number.

Remember it 過 (to exceed) + 半数 (half the number) → exceeding half.

工場こうじょうで同おなじ製品せいひんを大量たいりょうに生産せいさんしている。

The factory mass-produces the same product.

Usage 大量 is a large quantity: 大量に買う, 大量生産 (mass production), 大量のごみ. For people, use 大勢 (おおぜい) instead.

Remember it 大 (large) + 量 (quantity) → a large quantity.

多数たすうの意見いけんに従したがって決きめることにした。

We decided to go with the majority opinion.

Usage 多数 = a large number or the majority: 多数決 (majority vote), 多数の人, 多数派 (majority faction). Its opposite is 少数.

Remember it 多 (many) + 数 (number) → a large number.

少数しょうすうの意見いけんも大切たいせつにするべきだ。

We should value minority opinions too.

Usage 少数 = a small number or minority: 少数派 (minority), 少数民族 (ethnic minority), 少数精鋭 (a small elite team). In math, 小数 (しょうすう) is a decimal, with different kanji.

Remember it 少 (few) + 数 (number) → a small number.

予定よていより若干じゃっかん遅おくれて到着とうちゃくした。

We arrived slightly later than planned.

Usage 若干 is a formal 'slightly' or 'a few': 若干の変更 (a few changes), 若干名 (a few people, in job ads). Casually, 少し or ちょっと.

Remember it 若 (if, like) + 干 (a small amount) → just a small amount.

多少たしょう高たかくても、質しつのいいものを買かいたい。

Even if it's a bit expensive, I want to buy something of good quality.

Usage 多少 means more or less, somewhat: 多少の違い (some difference), 多少なら (if it's just a little). It is a bit more formal than 少し.

Remember it 多 (much) + 少 (little) → more or less.

一人ひとりでこの仕事しごとを終おえるのは相当そうとう大変たいへんだ。

Finishing this job alone would be pretty tough.

Usage 相当 means considerably, and also equivalent to: 相当疲れた (really tired), 1万円相当の商品 (goods worth 10,000 yen), 〜に相当する (correspond to).

Remember it 相 (mutual) + 当 (to match) → matching up to something, and quite a lot of it.

極端きょくたんなダイエットは体からだに悪わるい。

Extreme diets are bad for your body.

Usage 極端 = extreme: 極端な意見, 極端に言えば (to put it in extreme terms), 極端に少ない. It is often negative, suggesting going too far.

Remember it 極 (extreme) + 端 (edge) → out at the very edge.

この台風たいふうは今年ことし最大さいだいの規模きぼだ。

This typhoon is the biggest of the year.

Usage 最大 = maximum or largest: 最大の問題, 最大限 (to the fullest), 世界最大. The prefix 最 means most: 最新 (newest), 最悪 (worst).

Remember it 最 (most) + 大 (big) → the biggest.

被害ひがいを最小限さいしょうげんに抑おさえることが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to keep the damage to a minimum.

Usage 最小 = minimum or smallest: 最小限 (the bare minimum), 最小限に抑える (keep to a minimum), 世界最小.

Remember it 最 (most) + 小 (small) → the smallest.

今日きょうの試合しあいは最高さいこうだった。

Today's game was amazing.

Usage 最高 is the highest, and in speech 'the best': 最高気温 (the day's high), 最高！ (awesome!). Its opposite is 最低.

Remember it 最 (most) + 高 (high) → the highest.

約束やくそくを破やぶるなんて最低さいていだ。

Breaking a promise like that is the worst.

Usage 最低 is the lowest, and as a judgment 'terrible': 最低気温, 最低限 (at the very least), 最低！ (that's awful!). 最低でも means at the very least.

Remember it 最 (most) + 低 (low) → the lowest.

このクラスのテストの平均へいきん点てんは70点てんだった。

The class average on the test was 70 points.

Usage 平均 = average: 平均点, 平均寿命 (life expectancy), 平均的な (typical), 平均する (to average out).

Remember it 平 (level) + 均 (even) → leveled out evenly.

若者わかものの割合わりあいが年々ねんねん減へっている。

The proportion of young people is shrinking every year.

Usage 割合 = proportion or ratio: 〜の割合, 3対1の割合. As an adverb, 割合 means relatively: 割合簡単だった. 比率 is the more technical word.

Remember it 割 (to divide) + 合 (to fit) → how the parts divide and fit.

男女だんじょの比率ひりつはほぼ同おなじだ。

The ratio of men to women is almost the same.

Usage 比率 = ratio or rate: 男女比率, 比率が高い. It is a slightly more technical word than 割合. 比 alone: 3対2の比.

Remember it 比 (to compare) + 率 (rate) → the rate you get by comparing.

この大学だいがくの入試にゅうしは倍率ばいりつが十倍じゅうばいを超こえる。

This university's entrance exam has more than ten applicants for every place.

Usage 倍率 is the competition ratio for exams or jobs (倍率が高い, highly competitive) and magnification for lenses: 倍率3倍のルーペ.

Remember it 倍 (times, double) + 率 (rate) → how many times over.

まとめて買かうと、一個いっこあたりの単価たんかが安やすくなる。

If you buy in bulk, the price per item goes down.

Usage 単価 = unit price: 単価が高い / 安い, 客単価 (average spend per customer). 〜あたり means per: 一人あたり (per person).

Remember it 単 (single) + 価 (price) → the price of a single item.

旅行りょこうの費用ひようは総額そうがくで十万円じゅうまんえんだった。

The trip cost 100,000 yen in total.

Usage 総額 = the total amount of money: 総額〜円, 被害総額 (total damages). 合計 is a total of anything, not just money.

Remember it 総 (all) + 額 (amount of money) → the whole amount.

全部ぜんぶで合計ごうけいいくらになりますか。

How much does it all come to in total?

Usage 合計 = sum or total: 合計する, 合計金額 (total price), 合計で (in total). 小計 (しょうけい) is a subtotal.

Remember it 合 (to combine) + 計 (to count) → counting everything combined.

応募者おうぼしゃの総数そうすうは五百人ごひゃくにんに上のぼった。

The total number of applicants reached 500.

Usage 総数 = the total number: 〜の総数, 総数に上る (reach a total of). 総 means all or overall: 総額, 総合, 総理.

Remember it 総 (all) + 数 (number) → the number of all of them.

部屋へやの温度おんどを一定いっていに保たもっている。

We keep the room at a constant temperature.

Usage 一定 means fixed, constant, or a certain degree: 一定の温度, 一定の条件, 一定の効果 (some effect). Note the small tsu: いってい.

Remember it 一 (one) + 定 (fixed) → fixed at one level.

合格ごうかくまで、わずか一点いってん足たりなかった。

I fell short of passing by just one point.

Usage わずか means only or a mere: わずか一点, わずかな時間 (a little time), わずかに (slightly). It stresses how small something is.

Remember it Kanji form 僅か: a small, thin amount. Think of a tiny 'wazu-ka' of something left in the bottom of the cup.

膨大ぼうだいな資料しりょうを一人ひとりで整理せいりした。

I sorted through an enormous amount of material by myself.

Usage 膨大 = enormous, vast in amount: 膨大なデータ, 膨大な時間, 膨大な量. 莫大 is mainly used for money and damage.

Remember it 膨 (to swell) + 大 (big) → swollen huge.

新あたらしい工場こうじょうの建設けんせつには莫大ばくだいな費用ひようがかかった。

Building the new factory cost an immense amount of money.

Usage 莫大 is immense, usually for money or damage: 莫大な費用, 莫大な財産 (a vast fortune), 莫大な損失. 膨大 is used for amounts of data or work.

Remember it 莫 (nothing greater) + 大 (big) → nothing is bigger.

この水みずには微量びりょうの鉄分てつぶんが含ふくまれている。

This water contains a trace amount of iron.

Usage 微量 = a trace amount: 微量の物質, 微量でも危険 (dangerous even in tiny amounts). 微 means tiny: 微妙 (subtle), 微笑む (to smile).

Remember it 微 (tiny) + 量 (quantity) → a tiny quantity.

電車でんしゃのダイヤが大幅おおはばに乱みだれている。

The train schedule is badly disrupted.

Usage 大幅 means by a wide margin: 大幅に値下げする (slash prices), 大幅な変更, 大幅な遅れ. Its opposite is 小幅 (こはば, small).

Remember it 大 (big) + 幅 (width) → a big width of change.

このカードの利用りよう上限じょうげんは五十万円ごじゅうまんえんです。

The spending limit on this card is 500,000 yen.

Usage 上限 = upper limit: 上限を設ける (set a cap), 上限に達する. Its opposite is 下限. 限度 is a limit you shouldn't exceed.

Remember it 上 (upper) + 限 (limit) → the upper limit.

最低さいてい賃金ちんぎんは給料きゅうりょうの下限かげんを定さだめたものだ。

The minimum wage sets the lower limit on pay.

Usage 下限 = lower limit: 下限を下回る (fall below the minimum), 価格の下限. Its opposite is 上限.

Remember it 下 (lower) + 限 (limit) → the lower limit.

冗談じょうだんにも限度げんどがある。

There's a limit to how far a joke can go.

Usage 限度 is a limit you shouldn't go past: 限度額 (credit limit), 限度を超える (go too far), 〜にも限度がある (there are limits to ...).

Remember it 限 (limit) + 度 (degree) → the degree of the limit.

疲つかれて、もう体力たいりょくの限界げんかいだ。

I'm exhausted. I've reached the limit of my strength.

Usage 限界 is the limit of what's possible: 限界を感じる, 限界に挑む (push your limits), もう限界 (I can't take any more). 限度 is a set limit.

Remember it 限 (limit) + 界 (boundary) → the boundary of what's possible.

余剰よじょうの食料しょくりょうを困こまっている人ひとに配くばった。

The surplus food was handed out to people in need.

Usage 余剰 = surplus: 余剰人員 (excess staff), 余剰金 (surplus funds), 余剰在庫. In speech, 余り (あまり) or 余分.

Remember it 余 (leftover) + 剰 (surplus) → what's left over and more.

夏なつは冷房れいぼう需要じゅようが急増きゅうぞうする。

Demand for air conditioning surges in summer.

Usage 需要 is demand in the economic sense, not a personal request. Learn it together with 供給 (supply): 需要と供給. 急増する = to surge.

Remember it 需 (requirement) + 要 (necessary) → what is required and needed.

原材料げんざいりょうの供給きょうきゅうが不足ふそくして生産せいさんが滞ったとどこおった。

A shortage in the supply of raw materials held up production.

Usage 供給 pairs with 需要 in the set phrase 需要と供給 (supply and demand). 不足する = to be insufficient, 滞る (とどこおる) = to stagnate.

Remember it 供 (to offer) + 給 (to provide) → both halves mean handing something over.

東京とうきょうは人口じんこう密度みつどがとても高たかい。

Tokyo has a very high population density.

Usage 密度 = density: 人口密度, 密度が高い. Figuratively, intensity: 密度の濃い一日 (a packed, intense day). 密 means dense, as in 過密.

Remember it 密 (dense) + 度 (degree) → the degree of denseness.

この単語たんごは使用しよう頻度ひんどが高たかいので覚おぼえておこう。

This word is used frequently, so let's memorize it.

Usage 頻度 = frequency: 頻度が高い / 低い, 使用頻度 (frequency of use). 頻繁に (ひんぱんに) = frequently.

Remember it 頻 (frequent) + 度 (degree) → the degree of how often.

深夜しんやはタクシー料金りょうきんが二割にわり割増わりましになる。

Taxi fares go up 20% late at night.

Usage 割増 is a surcharge or extra: 深夜割増 (late-night surcharge), 割増料金. Its opposite is 割引 (わりびき, discount). 二割 means 20%.

Remember it 割 (a tenth, percentage) + 増 (to increase) → adding a percentage.

季節きせつによって売上うりあげの増減ぞうげんがある。

Sales rise and fall depending on the season.

Usage 増減 = increase and decrease, fluctuation: 増減する, 人口の増減. Japanese often pairs opposites like this: 売買 (buying and selling), 上下 (up and down).

Remember it 増 (increase) + 減 (decrease) → up and down.

健康けんこう診断しんだんの数値すうちが改善かいぜんした。

My health check-up numbers have improved.

Usage 数値 = a numerical value or figure: 数値目標 (numerical target), 数値化する (quantify), 血糖値 (blood sugar level).

Remember it 数 (number) + 値 (value) → numerical value.

政府せいふの統計とうけいによると、出生しゅっしょう数すうは減へり続つづけている。

According to government statistics, the number of births keeps falling.

Usage 統計 = statistics: 統計によると (according to statistics), 統計を取る (compile statistics), 統計学 (statistics as a subject).

Remember it 統 (to unify) + 計 (to count) → counting everything together.