How do you say "hard (durable)" in Japanese?

丈夫な

joubu na

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "hard (durable)" is 丈夫な (joubu na).

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Pronunciation

丈夫な is written using kanji. Romanised as joubu na, it sounds roughly like "joh-boo-nah" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Joubu na (丈夫な) is a na-adjective meaning sturdy or tough. The kanji 丈 originally meant length or height, and 夫 refers to a man or person, building a character that evokes solidity.

Example sentence

この靴はとても丈夫です。

Kono kutsu wa totemo joubu desu.

These shoes are very durable.

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How to remember 丈夫な

Visualize something so strongly built it will not break. The characters combine to suggest a person of solid standing, representing durability.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

Questions about 丈夫な

How do you pronounce 丈夫な?

丈夫な is romanised as joubu na. Say it roughly like "joh-boo-nah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 丈夫な formal or casual?

丈夫な is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 丈夫な written in Japanese?

丈夫な is written using kanji. Joubu na (丈夫な) is a na-adjective meaning sturdy or tough.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Hard (durable)" in other languages

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