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How to Say ‘Hard; tough; serious’ in Japanese

大変

taihen

[tie-hen]

💬 Usage Tip: [大変] describes difficulty or something serious. Common: [大変でした] (It was tough).

🇯🇵 In Japan: Japanese speakers often say [大変] empathetically about others’ situations too—showing emotional awareness.

Phrase Breakdown

大変

taihen

[tie-hen]

tough; hard; difficult

Common in caregiving to describe challenging situations. Often used politely: 大変でした (It was tough).

Example

入浴の介助は大変ですが、やりがいがあります。

Bathing assistance is tough, but it’s rewarding.

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