大変
Meanings
1
Adverbial intensifier used with adjectives and verbs; can express both positive and negative extremes.
It's awfully hot today, isn't it?
Thank you very much for your help.
3
Used when something requires great effort or is physically/mentally demanding; often in the pattern ～は大変だ.
Cooking every day is hard work.
Raising children is tough but enjoyable.
4
archaic
Archaic noun meaning a calamity or great event; rarely used in modern Japanese outside historical or literary contexts.
In old documents, 大変 is sometimes used to mean a disaster.
Usage patterns
- 大変〈形容詞〉very ~ (intensifying an adjective)
This book is very interesting.
- 大変な〈事〉a serious/terrible ~ (grave situation or event)
I heard there was a terrible accident at the station.
- 〈事〉は大変だ~ is tough/hard work
Taking care of small children is hard work.
- 大変〈動詞〉very much (intensifying a verb, often in polite speech)
Your help was a huge relief to me.
Expressions
- 結構大変quite a chore; not that easy; fairly difficult