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長さ (ながさ, nagasa) Japanese meaning: length | Kotomora

長ながさ

な

が

さ

Common word›JLPTN1›

Meanings

1

Refers to the physical length of an object, or the duration of time. Common in everyday conversation.

この川かわの長ながさはどのくらいですか。

How long is this river?

会かい議ぎの長ながさに驚おどろいた。

I was surprised by the length of the meeting.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉の長ながさを測はかるto measure the length of something
この棒ぼうの長ながさを測はかってください。
Please measure the length of this stick.
長ながさが〈数かず〉あるto be a certain length
このロープは長ながさが5メートルある。
This rope is five meters long.
長ながさを調ちょう節せつするto adjust the length
ベルトの長ながさを調ちょう節せつしてください。
Please adjust the length of the belt.
〈物もの〉の長ながさに合あわせるto match/fit the length of something
カーテンの長ながさに合あわせて布ぬのを切きった。
I cut the fabric to match the length of the curtain.

Kanji

長long, leader, superior

Related words

全ぜん長ちょう
全長 specifically means the total or overall length of something like a vehicle or river, while 長さ is the general, everyday word for length.
長ちょう短たんN2
長さ is the everyday word for physical length, while 長短 is more formal and often implies comparing the relative length of two or more things.
レングス
長さ is the native, everyday word for length used in any context, while レングス is a loanword restricted mainly to fashion, hair, and technical design contexts.
丈たけN1
長さ is the everyday, general word for the length of anything, while 丈 is used more narrowly for height, stature, or garment length.

Opposites

短みじかさ
短さ describes shortness, the direct opposite of 長さ (length).

Don't confuse with

長ながいN4
長い is the adjective meaning 'long' used to describe things, while 長さ is the noun form used when measuring or referring to length as a quantity.

Word family

行ぎょうの長ながさ
line length
長ながさ指し示じ子し
length indicator; LI
文も字じ列れつの長ながさ
length of a character string
長ながさオクテット

Etymology

Derived from the adjective 長い (ながい, 'long') with the nominalizing suffix さ (-sa), which forms abstract nouns of degree.

length indicator octets