What is the difference between "高い" and "たかい"?

"高い" means "high, tall; expensive" (N5), whereas "たかい" represents "high, tall; expensive" (N5).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "たかい (takai)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

たかい (takai)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

たかい (takai)

N5 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "たかい (takai)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

高い (Level: N5): Translates to "high, tall; expensive" and is used when An い-adjective with two main meanings: physical height.
たかい (Level: N5): Maps to "high, tall; expensive" and carries the nuance of An い-adjective. Has two main meanings: 'high/tall'.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "高い"

あのビルはとても高いです。/ この時計は高いです。

That building is very tall. / This watch is expensive.

Bilingual Context for "たかい"

あのビルはとてもたかいです。/ この時計はたかいです。

That building is very tall. / This watch is expensive.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "あのビルはとても＿＿＿です。/ この時計は＿＿＿です。" (Meaning: "That building is very tall. / This watch is expensive.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "高い" is used for "high, tall; expensive" in the context: "That building is very tall. / This watch is expensive.".