古い（ふるい、furui）
- old

The Japanese word 古い (ふるい) is an adjective that primarily means "old," "aged," or "ancient." It describes something that has existed for a long time, whether referring to objects, places, or even abstract concepts. The meaning encompasses both physical age and the passage of time. The word 古い often carries a connotation of being worn or used, but not necessarily in a negative way; it can also imply a sense of history, tradition, or value.

⚫︎ この車は古いです。 Translation: This car is old. ⚫︎ 古い本を読みました。 Translation: I read an old book. ⚫︎ 古いお寺を見学しました。 Translation: I visited an old temple.

You use 古い to describe the age of something. You can use it for tangible objects (like cars, books, or houses) or for intangible things (like traditions or memories). It can be used in various contexts, from casual conversations to more formal settings. When speaking, the context will often clarify whether the word has a positive (historic) or negative (worn-out) connotation. It is important to know that 「古い」 cannot be used to describe the age of a person.

古い is primarily written using kanji and hiragana: 古い. The kanji 古 means "old" or "ancient," and the hiragana い is the adjective ending. There are no other common ways to write this word, and the okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ 古い has several synonyms that can be used depending on the nuance you want to convey. ⚫︎ 古い can be replaced by 古い such as 年季の入った (nenki no haitta), which means "seasoned" or "well-used," often with a positive connotation. ⚫︎ Another similar words are 昔の (mukashi no), which means "of the past" or "old times", used for a time frame.

The main antonym of 古い is 新しい (あたらしい), meaning "new" or "fresh." Other antonyms include: ⚫︎ 最新の (saishin no) - the newest, the latest. ⚫︎ 新品の (shinpinn no) - brand new.

この古い時計はもう動きません。 ・Translation: This old watch doesn't work anymore. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 古い to describe the age of a watch and implies that it is no longer functional.

その古いお城は歴史が感じられますね。 ・Translation: That old castle makes you feel history, doesn't it? ・Explanation: This sentence uses 古い to describe a castle and suggests that the age of the castle contributes to a sense of history.

The etymology of 古い is derived from the adjective stem ふる (furu), which means "old" or "aged," and the adjective ending い (i). The kanji 古 is also an origin of ふる.