The Meaning of kuwashii [詳しい] In Japanese

詳しい
くわしい
Romaji: kuwashii N4

What does 詳しい mean?

Translation and Meaning

detailed, knowledgeable, familiar

Definition

What does 詳しい mean? It denotes that someone has detailed knowledge or understanding of a subject, or that information is presented with precision and depth. It is used of people who know a lot about something, or of explanations and information that are thorough and specific, not superficial.

Type

adjective (i-adjective)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Detailed or thorough information about a topic
  • Knowledgeable or well-informed about a subject
  • To be familiar with something or to know it well

Etymology

kanji-based form The word combines the kanji 詳 meaning detail or to know with the i-adjective suffix しい, producing an adjective that conveys precision and depth.

Origin

Native Japanese origin, formed from 詳 and the adjectival suffix しい; the compound has long-standing use from classical to modern Japanese.

Composition

  • 詳: the core meaning related to detail or knowledge; しい: the i-adjective suffix that turns the stem into an adjective; together they form a word meaning being detailed or well-informed

Usage

Used across formal and casual contexts to describe people who know a topic well or information that is thorough; common collocations include 詳しい情報, 詳しい説明, and using 詳しく to connect with verbs in adverbial form.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a detective inspecting every detail; the kanji 詳 conveys detail and the しい ending marks it as an i-adjective, so the word literally means ‘detail-focused’ to help recall kuwashii.

Variations

  • 詳しい — detailed, romaji: kuwashii
  • くわしい — detailed in kana, romaji: kuwashii
  • 詳しく — adverbial form, romaji: kuwashiku
  • 詳しさ — degree of detail, romaji: kuwashisa

Example Phrases

  • 詳しい情報はこの資料に書いてあります。
    Kuwashii jōhō wa kono shiryō ni kaite arimasu.
    This document contains detailed information.
    Lista:
    • 詳しい情報 (kuwashii jōhō) – detailed information
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • この (kono) – this
    • 資料 (shiryō) – document
    • に (ni) – in
    • 書いて (kaite) – writing
    • あります (arimasu) – exists
    詳しい is an i-adjective that directly modifies nouns; in this sentence it forms 「詳しい情報」 meaning ‘detailed information’.
詳しい