Recognize 多 in everyday Japanese and connect its meanings, many and a lot, with whole words in context.

The idea

Compare 多い（おおい） and 多くの（おおくの） in the table: a character can have different readings in different words. 多 has 6 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
多いおおいmany; much
多くのおおくのmany (before a noun)
多分たぶんprobably; perhaps
人が多いひとがおおいthere are many people

Examples

  • 駅えきには人ひとが多おおいです。There are many people at the station.
  • この町まちは店みせが多おおいです。This town has many shops.
  • 今日きょうは宿題しゅくだいが多おおいです。I have a lot of homework today.
  • 多おおくの人ひとが公園こうえんにいます。Many people are in the park.
  • 友達ともだちは多分たぶん来きます。My friend will probably come.
  • 夏なつは観光客かんこうきゃくが多おおいです。There are many tourists in summer.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

多い commonly describes a quantity in a pattern such as 人が多い. Before a noun, use 多くの人 rather than 多い人 when you mean many people. 多分（たぶん） means probably, not many parts.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 多い in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    おおい

    多い is read おおい; the complete word means many; much.

  2. Write the reading of 多くの in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    おおくの

    多くの is read おおくの; the complete word means many (before a noun).

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿分（たぶん）.

    Show answer or example answer

    多

    多 completes 多分, read たぶん; the complete word means probably; perhaps.

Use it today

Cover the table and write 多 from memory. Read 多い and 多くの aloud, then make a sentence and check its meaning against the examples.