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厚い (あつい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N5 Freq. Frequency Top 10,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
i-adjective
thick ; deep ; heavy
Only when written 厚い
Describes physical or visible thickness: thick fabric, a thick book, a deep layer, or heavy clouds. Written 厚い for this sense.
を
覆おお
っ
て
いる
。
Heavy clouds are covering the mountains.
2
i-adjective
kind ; warm ; hospitable
Used for warm-hearted treatment, kindness, or generosity of feeling, as in 情に厚い or 厚くもてなす. 厚い is common; 篤い may also be used for sincere warmth.
3
i-adjective
deep ; strong ; faithful ; devout
Covers deep trust, strong support, or sincere devotion. 厚い is common with trust or support, while 篤い is especially natural with faith or devotion.
4
i-adjective
serious ; grave
Only when written 篤い
Formal or literary use for a serious illness, normally written 篤い and often seen in the phrase 病が篤い. In ordinary modern speech, 重い or 重篤な is more common.
5
i-adjective
abundant ; substantial ; deep
Only when written 厚い
Metaphorical use for there being plenty of something, especially personnel, support, or a layer of resources. Written 厚い for this sense.
Written forms 厚あつ い Usage 90%
Standard common spelling for physical thickness, depth or strength of feeling, and abundance. Do not confuse it with 暑い or 熱い, also read あつい.
あつい Usage 7%
篤あつ い Usage 3%
Used for deep sincerity, devotion, or a grave illness. It is less broadly used than 厚い and often appears in set collocations such as 信仰が篤い and 病が篤い.
Similar words 暑あつ い Means hot in weather or air temperature; it is a homophone but uses a different kanji and meaning from 厚い.
熱あつ い Means physically hot to the touch or emotionally passionate; 厚い refers to thickness, warmth of treatment, trust, or abundance.
重おも い The ordinary adjective for heavy or serious, including serious illness; 篤い for illness is more formal or literary.
手て 厚あつ い Means generous, careful, or well-provided, especially for support or treatment; it is often more specific than 厚い alone.
Etymology A native Japanese adjective read あつい. The spelling 厚い is conventionally associated with thickness, depth, and generous abundance, while 篤い is used for deep sincerity or grave illness; this is spelling guidance rather than a claim about the word's historical origin.
