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高名 (こうめい, koumei) Japanese meaning: famous | Kotomora

高こう名めい

こ

う

め

い

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

famous; renowned; distinguished

Describes a person, achievement, or institution that is widely known and respected. Often used in formal or written contexts.

彼かれは高こう

名めい

な

物ぶつ

理り

学がく

者しゃ

と

し

て

知し

ら

れ

て

いる

。

He is known as a renowned physicist.

この大だい学がくは高こう名めいな卒そつ業ぎょう生せいを多おおく輩はい出しゅつしている。

This university has produced many distinguished graduates.

2

your name (honorific)

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)›

Only with reading こうめい

Honorific expression for the listener's name. Typically used with the prefix ご as ご高名. Restricted to reading こうめい.

ご高こう名めいはかねがね伺うかがっております。
I have heard of your name for some time.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉として高こう名めいだto be renowned as a certain kind of person (e.g., artist, scholar)
彼かれは画が家かとして高こう名めいだ。
He is renowned as a painter.
ご高こう名めいはかねがね伺うかがっておりますa formal honorific phrase meaning 'I have long heard of your reputation'
先せん生せいのご高こう名めいはかねがね伺うかがっております。
I have long heard of your distinguished reputation, sir.
高こう名めいな〈人ひと〉a famous, distinguished person
高こう名めいな学がく者しゃにお話はなしを伺うかがった。
I had the chance to speak with a distinguished scholar.

Kanji

高tall, high, expensive
名name, noted, distinguished

Related words

有ゆう名めいN5sense 1
有名 is the everyday word for 'famous', while 高名 is a more formal, literary term implying high esteem.
著ちょ名めいN1sense 1
著名 also means 'well-known' but is slightly less formal and more neutral in tone than 高名.
名な高だかいN1sense 1
名高い is an adjective meaning 'renowned', used more often in narrative or descriptive writing than the na-adjective 高名.
偉えらいN4
高名 formally describes someone as famous or eminent in their field, while 偉い is the everyday word for being high-ranking or distinguished.

Opposites

無む名めいN1sense 1
無名 means 'unknown, obscure', the direct opposite of 高名's sense of being famous or distinguished.

Politeness

名な前まえplainN5sense 2
名前 is the plain, neutral word for 'name', while ご高名 is the honorific form used to refer respectfully to someone else's name or reputation.

Don't confuse with

公こう明めいN1sense 1
公明 (fairness, impartiality) is a homophone of 高名 (famous) but has an entirely unrelated meaning about justice, not renown.
光こう明みょう
高名 (こうめい) means 'renowned' or 'famous name', a completely different word that happens to share the alternate reading こうめい with 光明.

Written forms

高名Usage100%
- こうめい
  Standard kanji spelling for both senses. Reading こうみょう is rare and not represented by a separate written form.
- こうみょう
こうみょう

Etymology

Compound of 高 (high, noble) and 名 (name, reputation). The reading こうめい is the standard on'yomi; こうみょう is a rare alternative reading.