Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

一代 (いちだい, ichidai) Japanese meaning: generation | Kotomora

一いち代だい

い

ち

だ

い

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

generation; lifetime; one's age

Refers to the span of a single human life, a reign, or a period defined by one person's activity. Often used in historical or biographical contexts.

彼かれは一いち代だいで財ざいを成なした。

He built a fortune in his own lifetime.

この寺てらは一いち代だいの名めい僧そうによって建たてられた。

This temple was built by a great priest of his generation.

Usage patterns

一いち代だいで〈事こと〉を築きずくto build (a fortune, business, etc.) within one's own lifetime
彼かれは一いち代だいで大だい企き業ぎょうを築きずいた。
He built a large company in his own lifetime.
一いち代だい限かぎりlimited to a single generation or lifetime (not inherited)
その称しょう号ごうは一いち代だい限かぎりのものだ。
That title is valid only for one generation.
一いち代だいの〈人ひと〉the great/leading (person) of an era
彼かれは一いち代だいの英えい雄ゆうとして知しられている。
He is known as a hero of his generation.

Expressions

人ひとは一いち代だい名なは末まつ代だいa good name endures beyond one's lifetime

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
代substitute, change, convert

Related words

一いっ生しょうN3
一生 is the everyday word for 'a lifetime', while 一代 emphasizes a single generation or era, often with historical or biographical weight.
生しょう涯がいN1
生涯 is a formal, literary word for 'one's life span', whereas 一代 focuses on the era or reign defined by one person's activity.

Opposites

代だい々だいN1
一代 refers to a single generation, while 代々 means 'generation after generation', spanning many successive generations.
永えい代たい
一代 refers to a single generation or lifetime, contrasting with 永代's meaning of continuing forever across generations (e.g. 一代限りの供養 vs 永代供養).

Don't confuse with

一いち台だいN5
一代 (いちだい) means 'one generation/lifetime', while 一台 (also いちだい) means 'one machine or vehicle' — they sound identical but are written and mean differently.
一いち大だい
一大 (いちだい, 'a major ...') and 一代 (いちだい, 'one generation/reign') are pronounced identically but written with different kanji and mean completely different things.

Word family

一いっ世せ一いち代だい
once in a lifetime; the first and last occurrence of one's lifetime
一いち代だい記き
biography; life story
一いち代だい一いち度ど
once in an emperor's reign
一いち代だい分ぶん限

Etymology

Compound of 一 (one) and 代 (generation, era). The meaning 'one generation' or 'lifetime' is transparent from its components.

げん

new money; nouveau riche; self-made wealthy person

一いち代だい年とし寄より

special coaching stock awarded to retired grand champion

一いち代だい雑ざっ種しゅ

F1 hybrid; first filial generation hybrid