たいそう

た

い

そ

う

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

adverb

very; extremely; greatly

usually written using kana alone

Adverbial intensifier, similar to とても or 非常に but often somewhat formal, literary, or old-fashioned in everyday speech.

祖そ母ぼはその知しらせを聞きいて、たいそう喜よろこんだ。
My grandmother was very pleased to hear the news.

na-adjective

considerable; excessive; large in amount or number

usually written using kana alone

Na-adjective use for a quantity, amount, degree, or scale that is large, considerable, or sometimes more than expected.

それはたいそうな金きん額がくですね。
That is a considerable amount of money.

na-adjective

splendid; impressive; tremendous

usually written using kana alone

Positive or admiring na-adjective use for something grand, impressive, or splendid in scale or appearance.

たいそうなごちそうを用よう意いしてくれた。
They prepared a splendid feast for us.

na-adjective

exaggerated; overblown; grandiose

usually written using kana alone

Used when something is made to sound grander, more serious, or more important than it really is; common in phrases such as たいそうなこと.

そんなたいそうな話はなしではありません。
It is not such a big, exaggerated matter.

Usage patterns

大たい層そう〈動どう詞し〉to (verb) greatly; very much (verb)
彼かれはその知しらせを聞きいて大たい層そう喜よろこんだ。
He was overjoyed to hear the news.
大たい層そうな〈物もの〉a splendid, impressive ~
旅りょ館かんでは大たい層そうな料りょう理りが出だされた。
A splendid meal was served at the inn.
大たい層そうなことa big deal; an exaggerated matter
そんな大たい層そうなことを言いわなくてもいいのに。
You don't have to make such a big deal out of it.
大たい層そうな〈数かず〉a considerable amount/number of ~
彼かれは大たい層そうな財ざい産さんを残のこした。
He left behind a considerable fortune.

Kanji

大large, big
層stratum, social class, layer

Related words

とてもN4sense 1
とても is the ordinary, everyday word for “very,” while 大層 sounds formal or old-fashioned in comparison.
非ひ常じょうにN4sense 1
非常に is a formal adverb overlapping with the “extremely” sense of 大層, but it lacks 大層's na-adjective meanings like “splendid” or “exaggerated.”
立りっ派ぱN4sense 3
立派 is the common modern word for “splendid” or “impressive,” while 大層 conveys the same admiration in a more literary or old-fashioned way.
大おおげさN2sense 4
大げさ is the usual modern word for “exaggerated,” whereas 大層 carries this nuance mainly in set phrases like たいそうなこと.

Word family

ご大たい層そう
exaggerated; extravagant; overdone

Written forms

たいそうUsage62%
All senses are usually written in kana; this is the safest everyday spelling.
大たい層そうUsage32%
Attested kanji spelling. It may appear in more formal or dictionary-like writing, but kana is generally preferred.
大たいそうUsage5%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less useful for learners than たいそう or 大層.

Etymology

The kanji spelling 大層 combines 大, associated with largeness, and 層, associated with layers or levels; here it conventionally represents a great degree or scale. The word is usually written in kana.