古い
ふるい·furui
Meaning
old (not for people); aged; ancient; outdated
Nuance & Usage
古い describes things that are old, aged, or outdated — but NEVER people. For old people, use 年を取った (toshi o totta) or the more respectful お年寄り (otoshiyori). 古い can be neutral (古い寺 — an old temple, with a positive connotation of history) or negative (古いパソコン — an outdated computer). Related: 古本 (furuhon — secondhand book), 古着 (furugi — secondhand clothes), 中古 (chuuko — used/secondhand goods).
Common Mistakes
The biggest mistake: using 古い for people. ✗ 古い人 (sounds like calling someone outdated/obsolete — very rude!) ✓ 年を取った人 or お年寄り. Also, 古い doesn't always mean "bad" — 古い町並み (old townscape) is often a compliment, describing charming historical streets. Context determines whether 古い carries a positive (historic, traditional) or negative (outdated, worn-out) nuance.
Example Sentences (3)
この建物はとても古いです。
このたてものはとてもふるいです。
This building is very old.
古いけど、この本は面白いですよ。
ふるいけど、このほんはおもしろいですよ。
It's old, but this book is interesting.
京都には古いお寺がたくさんあります。
きょうとにはふるいおてらがたくさんあります。
There are many old temples in Kyoto.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N54 questionsTest your knowledge of 古い with 4 different question types.
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