重おも荷に

also: じゅうか

お

も

に

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

heavy load; heavy burden; heavy freight

Concrete use for something physically heavy that is carried, borne, or transported. The reading おもに is the ordinary one; じゅうか is much less common and sounds more technical or freight-related.

馬うまは重おも荷にを背せ負おって山やま道みちを進すすんだ。
The horse went along the mountain path carrying a heavy load.

noun

heavy responsibility; mental burden; encumbrance

Only with reading おもに

Figurative use for a responsibility, obligation, worry, or relationship that feels emotionally or practically oppressive. Common in patterns such as 重荷になる and 重荷を背負う.

家か族ぞくを養やしなう責せき任にんが、彼かれには大おおきな重おも荷にだった。
The responsibility of supporting his family was a heavy burden for him.
その約やく束そくは彼かの女じょの重おも荷にになっていた。
That promise had become a burden to her.

See all 23 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉が重おも荷にになるfor something to become a burden
毎まい月つきのローンが重おも荷にになっている。
The monthly loan payments have become a burden.
重おも荷にを背せ負おうto bear a heavy burden (of responsibility)
彼かれは家か族ぞくの生せい活かつという重おも荷にを背せ負おっている。
He carries the heavy burden of supporting his family.
重おも荷にを下おろすto set down a burden; to be relieved of a responsibility
プロジェクトが終おわって、ようやく重おも荷にを下おろせた。
Now that the project is over, I could finally set down the burden.
〈人ひと〉の重おも荷にを軽かるくするto lighten someone's burden
彼かの女じょの一ひと言ことが私わたしの重おも荷にを軽かるくしてくれた。
Her one remark lightened my burden.

Kanji

重heavy, important, esteem
荷baggage, shoulder-pole load, bear (a burden)

Related words

負ふ担たんN2
負担 is the general, neutral word for a burden, cost, or responsibility, while 重荷 stresses that the load feels especially heavy or oppressive.
責せき任にんN3
責任 simply means responsibility, whereas 重荷 describes that responsibility once it is felt as an oppressive weight.
重じゅう責せき
重責 is a formal term for a heavy official duty or post, while 重荷 is broader and can describe any emotionally oppressive burden.
荷に重おも
重荷 is the everyday word for a heavy load or burden, both physical and emotional, while 荷重 is a more technical or literary term for the same idea.
負ふ荷か
重荷 is a more literary or emotional word for a heavy burden (often figurative), while 負荷 is used in technical or clinical contexts.

Don't confuse with

荷に物もつN5sense 1
荷物 refers neutrally to luggage or goods regardless of weight, while 重荷 specifically means a load or burden that is heavy and oppressive.

Written forms

重荷Usage100%
- おもに
  Standard and common reading, used for both literal heavy loads and figurative burdens.
- じゅうか
  Less common on-yomi reading, most plausible in literal or freight-related contexts rather than everyday figurative use.
じゅうか

Etymology

A transparent compound of 重い／重, meaning heavy, and 荷, meaning load or baggage. The common reading おもに reflects a native-style reading, while じゅうか is an on-yomi reading.