The Meaning of nadakai [名高い] In Japanese

名高い
なだかい
Romaji: nadakai N2

What does 名高い mean?

Translation and Meaning

name-high, famous, well-known

Definition

名高い means famous or well-known, used to describe a person, place, or thing with a strong and positive reputation. It conveys enduring prestige rather than mere popularity and is common in formal writing and descriptive prose.

Type

adjective (形容詞, i-adjective)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • 有名な (yūmei na) — famous
  • 著名な (chomei na) — renowned
  • 名声のある (meisei no aru) — of notable reputation
  • 無名の (mumei no) — unknown

Composition

  • 名: name, reputation
  • 高い: high, tall; here metaphorically signals elevated status
  • Combined meaning: high in name; widely recognized or esteemed

Usage

Used in formal, literary, or journalistic contexts to describe someone or something with a strong reputation. It appears before the noun it describes and is less common in casual speech than 有名だ; practical contexts include biographies, articles, and descriptive prose describing prestige, historic significance, or high social standing.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a tall tower with your name adorning the very top; reaching the top makes you 名高い—high in name, highly regarded.

Variations

  • 有名な (yūmei na) — famous
  • 著名な (chomei na) — renowned
  • 名高く (nadakaku) — adverbial form meaning highly noted
  • 無名の (mumei no) — unknown

Example Phrases

  • 町で名高いカフェで友人と待ち合わせした。
    machi de meidakai kafe de yūjin to machiawase shita.
    I met up with a friend at a famous cafe in town.
    Lista:
    • 町 (machi) – town
    • で (de) – at, in
    • 名高い (meidakai) – famous
    • カフェ (kafe) – cafe
    • で (de) – at, in
    • 友人 (yūjin) – friend
    • と (to) – with
    • 待ち合わせ (machiawase) – meeting
    • した (shita) – did
    The word 「名高い」 is a prenominal adjective meaning ‘famous’ or ‘renowned’; it directly modifies the noun that follows, here 「カフェ」.
名高い