Translation guide
The English word 'immense' describes something extremely large, great, or significant in size, degree, or intensity. In Japanese, there is no single direct equivalent; instead, different words and expressions are used depending on what is being described (physical size, abstract scale, emotional impact, etc.). This guide organizes the most natural ways to express 'immense' in Japanese by meaning.
Describing something of enormous physical dimensions, such as a building, mountain, or crowd.
The most common and versatile adjective for 'immense' in terms of physical size. Can be used for objects, structures, and natural features.
That building is immense.
An immense mountain towered before us.
Often used for immense amounts, especially of money, data, or resources. Can also describe physical scale, but leans toward quantitative vastness.
It cost an immense amount of money.
Specifically refers to immense expanses of land, space, or area. Common for landscapes, deserts, oceans, and fields.
An immense desert stretches out.
Describing immense influence, impact, difficulty, or abstract magnitude.
Expressing that something is so grand or powerful it evokes deep emotion, wonder, or overwhelm.
A natural phrase meaning 'so immense it can't be put into words'. Used for overwhelming beauty, gratitude, or shock.
Describing an extremely large number of things or people.
The go-to word for immense numbers, amounts of data, documents, or items. Very common in both spoken and written Japanese.
These three are often confused. 巨大 (kyodai) is for physical size (a huge building). 莫大 (bakudai) is for immense monetary or resource amounts (a huge cost). 膨大 (boudai) is for immense numbers or volumes of items/data (a huge number of files). Choose based on what is immense.
莫大な量のデータを処理する。
Process an immense amount of data.
Literally 'immeasurable', this phrase conveys that something is so immense it cannot be fully grasped. Used for abstract concepts like influence, value, or potential.
His influence is immense.
It has immense value.
Used for immense damage, impact, or suffering, often in formal or news contexts. Implies a serious, negative scale.
There was immense damage.
Means 'tremendous' or 'immense' and is often used for positive abstract things like trust, popularity, or power.
He enjoys immense popularity.
I was immensely moved, beyond words.
Means 'overwhelming' and is used for immense presence, power, or beauty that dominates the senses.
I was breathless at the immense beauty.
There were an immense number of applications.
Analyze an immense amount of data.
Literally 'countless', used when the number is so immense it feels infinite. Often for stars, grains of sand, etc.
Immense numbers of stars were shining.
immense wealth
immense pile of documents
English 'immense' is very broad. In Japanese, using a single word like 巨大 for everything can sound unnatural. Always consider what is immense: size, number, feeling, or impact, and pick the appropriate expression.