Japanese word

重たい

Pronunciation

Romajiomotai

Meaning

  • i-adjectiveheavy

Example

この箱は重たいです。ko no bako wa omo ta i de su

This box is heavy.

Illustration for 重たい (heavy)

More examples

その知らせを聞いて、部屋の空気が重たくなりました。so no shi ra se o ki i te heya no kū ki ga omo ta ku na ri ma shi ta

The mood in the room became heavy after we heard the news.

Core concept

Describes something that feels difficult to carry emotionally, so a topic can be heavy without being physically weighty.

Common phrases

  • 重たい話omo ta i hanashi

    a serious topic

  • 重たい空気omo ta i kū ki

    a heavy atmosphere

Similar words

重いomoi: Describes something serious that has a strong emotional effect.
重苦しいomokurushii: Describes a mood or atmosphere that feels oppressive and hard to bear.
きついkitsui: Describes something that places a strong emotional or mental strain on a person.

Definition in Japanese

内容が深刻で、気軽に扱えないさま。nai yō ga shin koku de ki garu ni atsuka e na i sa ma

Word origin

重たい (omotai) comes from 重い (omoi, "heavy") plus the suffix たい (tai), which gives the adjective a stronger sense of experienced weight.

Usage tips

  • 重たい (omotai) can describe an atmosphere that feels tense or gloomy, so the word applies to the tone of a conversation as well as its subject.

Other meanings

  • seriousi-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 重たさomotasaheavinessnoun

Word lists with this word