一番（いちばん）
JLPT N5 · noun
Pitch accent: nakadaka (middle-high) — pitch drops after mora 2
Meaning: the most / number one
Example sentences
- クラスで彼が一番背が高い。 — He's the tallest in the class.
- 果物の中でいちごが一番好きだ。 — Of all the fruits, I like strawberries the best.
Idioms & proverbs containing “一番”
- 夜明け前が一番暗い (よあけまえがいちばんくらい) — it's always darkest before the dawn; the darkest hour is just before the dawn
- 開口一番 (かいこういちばん) — at the very beginning of one's speech; immediately upon opening one's mouth (to speak); before anything else; first of all
- 緊褌一番 (きんこんいちばん) — gird oneself up
- 大死一番 (だいしいちばん) — exerting oneself to the utmost, prepared to die if necessary
- 奮起一番 (ふんきいちばん) — bracing oneself up to action, being inspired by something; getting down to work, putting heart and soul into it; tackling (a job) with gusto
- 励声一番 (れいせいいちばん) — giving cries of encouragement at a critical moment
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “一番” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)