How do you say "durable" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "durable" is 丈夫な (joubu na). It is a adjective pronounced "joh-oo-boo nah".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

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

Example sentence

この靴はとても丈夫です。

Kono kutsu wa totemo joubu desu.

These shoes are very durable.

Usage notes

Joubu na (丈夫な) is a na-adjective meaning sturdy, durable, or tough. It is used for objects that are well-made and resistant to wear, as well as for people who are physically robust.

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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-oo-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 na-adjective or noun-adjective. It is neutral in register and fits naturally in both casual and polite sentences. Add na before a noun, or use desu for a polite predicate.

How is 丈夫な written in Japanese?

丈夫な is written using kanji and hiragana. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.