一いっ等とう

い

っ

と

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

first class; first rank; first place; first prize

Used for being in the top class or rank, or for winning first place or first prize. Common in compounds and phrases such as 一等賞 and 一等の席.

妹いもうとはくじで一いっ等とうを当あてた。
My younger sister won first prize in the lottery.

一いっ等とうの客きゃく室しつを予よ約やくした。

I reserved a first-class cabin.

2

noun

one degree; one level; one grade

Counts a difference of one rank, grade, or level, often with 上がる, 下がる, 上, or 下. In many everyday contexts, 一段 or 一つ上・下 may sound more ordinary.

今年ことしの米こめは去きょ年ねんより等とう級きゅうが一いっ等とう下さがった。
This year's rice dropped one grade from last year.

3

adverb

most; best

Adverbial use before adjectives or evaluative expressions, meaning much the same as 一番. It is understandable but less common than 一番 in modern everyday Japanese.

この中なかでは、これが一いっ等とういい。
Of these, this one is the best.

Written forms

一いっ等とうUsage69%
Standard kanji spelling for ranks, prizes, classes, and related adverbial use.
いっとうUsage31%
１いっ等とう
Attested numeric spelling; practical on tickets, prize lists, rankings, and labels.

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
等etc., and so forth, class (first)

Similar words

一いち番ばん
The more general and common word for 'number one' or 'most'; 一等 has a stronger rank, class, prize, or grade nuance.
特とく等とう
Often used for a special or top prize, sometimes above first prize; narrower than 一等.
上じょう等とう
Means high-quality or fine; it describes quality rather than first place or first prize.

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound of 一, 'one; first,' and 等, 'rank; class; grade.' The meanings are largely compositional: first rank/class, or one unit of rank.