たかい (takai) and ひくい (hikui) are two of the most versatile adjective pairs in Japanese. While they both translate to “high/low” or “tall/short” in English, Japanese uses them in ways that can trip up English speakers — especially because たかい also means “expensive,” a sense that ひくい does not mirror. This guide covers every usage, from physical height to price levels to sound pitch, with clear examples and a quick quiz.
YukaHey Rei! I keep mixing up たかい and ひくい. Can you break it down for me?
ReiSure! They’re both useful words but used in different situations. Let me walk you through it with some examples!
At a Glance: たかい vs. ひくい
| Feature | たかい (takai) 高い | ひくい (hikui) 低い |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | High / tall / expensive | Low / short (height) / deep (voice) |
| Word type | い-adjective | い-adjective |
| Kanji | 高い | 低い |
| Used for price? | Yes (expensive) | Yes (cheap = 安い, but ひくい for “low price”) |
| Used for people’s height? | 背が高い (tall) | 背が低い (short) |
| Used for sound/voice? | 声が高い (high-pitched voice) | 声が低い (low/deep voice) |
| Negative form | たかくない | ひくくない |
| JLPT level | N5 | N5 |
たかい (高い) — High, Tall, and Expensive
たかい is a powerhouse adjective with two core meanings: (1) physically high or tall, and (2) expensive. Context almost always makes the meaning clear. The kanji 高い combines 高 (high/tall) with the い ending.
When talking about a person’s height, Japanese uses 背が高い (se ga takai) — literally “back/stature is high.” You do not say 人が高い to mean a tall person; the pattern is 背が高い人 (se ga takai hito).
Example 1 — physical height:
あのビルはとても高い。
Ano biru wa totemo takai.
That building is very tall.
Example 2 — price:
このレストランは高すぎる。
Kono resutoran wa taka-sugiru.
This restaurant is too expensive.
Example 3 — voice pitch:
彼女は声が高い。
Kanojo wa koe ga takai.
She has a high-pitched voice.
YukaOh, so たかい is used that way! I never thought about it like that.
ReiExactly! Once you see it in context a few times, it starts to feel natural. The key is paying attention to たかい when you read or listen.
ひくい (低い) — Low, Short, and Deep
ひくい is the antonym of たかい for height and pitch. However, it is not used to mean “cheap” — for cheap/inexpensive, Japanese uses 安い (yasui). ひくい can describe a low price numerically (e.g., 価格が低い — the price is low), but in everyday speech, 安い is more natural for “cheap.”
Like たかい, ひくい uses the 背が低い pattern for describing short people.
Example 1 — physical height:
この椅子はちょっと低い。
Kono isu wa chotto hikui.
This chair is a little low.
Example 2 — person’s height:
彼は背が低いけど、スポーツが得意だ。
Kare wa se ga hikui kedo, supootsu ga tokui da.
He is short, but he is good at sports.
Example 3 — deep voice:
彼は声が低くて迫力がある。
Kare wa koe ga hikukute hakuryoku ga aru.
His voice is deep and powerful.
YukaAnd what about ひくい? I always thought it was the same as たかい…
ReiEasy mistake! ひくい has its own distinct meaning. The difference becomes really clear once you compare them side by side — which is exactly what we’re doing here!
The Price Trap: たかい vs. 安い
One of the most common mistakes English speakers make is trying to say “low price” using ひくい. In natural Japanese conversation, the price pair is:
| Meaning | Natural Japanese | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Expensive | 高い (takai) | Most common for price |
| Cheap / inexpensive | 安い (yasui) | Most common for price |
| High price (numerical) | 価格が高い / 値段が高い | Also natural |
| Low price (numerical) | 価格が低い / 値段が低い | More formal/statistical |
| Affordable | お手頃な値段 (otegoro na nedan) | Polite, common in shops |
Example: このカフェのコーヒーは安くておいしい。
Kono kafe no koohii wa yasukute oishii.
The coffee at this café is cheap and delicious.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Context | たかい (高い) | ひくい (低い) |
|---|---|---|
| A tall mountain | 高い山 (tall mountain) | — |
| A low fence | — | 低い柵 (low fence) |
| An expensive car | 高い車 (expensive car) | — |
| A cheap shirt (everyday) | — | 安いシャツ (use 安い not 低い) |
| A tall person | 背が高い人 | — |
| A short person | — | 背が低い人 |
| High-pitched sound | 高い音 (high sound) | — |
| Deep/low voice | — | 低い声 (low voice) |
Conjugation Guide
| Form | たかい (高い) | ひくい (低い) |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary (plain) | たかい | ひくい |
| Polite present | たかいです | ひくいです |
| Negative | たかくない | ひくくない |
| Past (plain) | たかかった | ひくかった |
| Past (polite) | たかかったです | ひくかったです |
| Te-form | たかくて | ひくくて |
| Adverb | たかく | ひくく |
Example using adverb form:
もっと高く飛べたらいいのに。
Motto takaku toberara ii noni.
I wish I could fly higher.
Decision Flowchart: たかい or ひくい?
What are you describing?
|
┌────┴────┐
HEIGHT/POSITION PRICE SOUND/VOICE
| | |
Is it tall/high? Is it costly? Is it high-pitched?
YES → たかい YES → たかい YES → たかい (声が高い)
NO → ひくい NO → 安い* NO → ひくい (声が低い)
*Use 安い (yasui) for "cheap," not ひくい in everyday speech.Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!
YukaOkay, I feel a lot more confident about たかい and ひくい now! Should we test it with a quiz?
ReiLet’s do it! A quick quiz is the best way to make sure the difference really sticks.
Fill in the blank with たかい, ひくい, or 安い.
Q1. Mount Fuji is tall.
富士山は＿＿＿。
Fujisan wa ___.
Answer: たかい (takai) — 高い
Reason: Physical height of a mountain = たかい.
Q2. This souvenir shop is cheap!
このお土産屋さんは＿＿＿！
Kono omiyage-ya san wa ___!
Answer: 安い (yasui)
Reason: In everyday conversation about price, use 安い for cheap, not ひくい.
Q3. That singer has a very deep voice.
あの歌手は声が＿＿＿。
Ano kashu wa koe ga ___.
Answer: ひくい (hikui) — 低い
Reason: A deep/low voice = 声が低い.
Q4. This hotel is too expensive for me.
このホテルは私には＿＿＿すぎる。
Kono hoteru wa watashi ni wa ___ sugiru.
Answer: たかい (takai) — 高い
Reason: Too expensive = 高すぎる.
Q5. The table is too low to eat comfortably.
テーブルが＿＿＿すぎて食べにくい。
Teeburu ga ___ sugite tabenikui.
Answer: ひくい (hikui) — 低い
Reason: Physically too low = 低すぎる.
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