What is the difference between "古い" and "ふるい"?

"古い" means "old (not for people), aged" (N5), whereas "ふるい" represents "old (not for people)" (N5).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "ふるい (furui)"

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

Kanji Option A

ふるい (furui)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

ふるい (furui)

N5 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "ふるい (furui)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

古い (Level: N5): Translates to "old (not for people), aged" and is used when An い-adjective used for things that are old or worn out. It is NOT used for people.
ふるい (Level: N5): Maps to "old (not for people)" and carries the nuance of An い-adjective. Used for objects, buildings, or things that have existed for a long time. Not used for the age of people. Opposite of 新しい.

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

Bilingual Context for "古い"

この本は古いですが、とても面白いです。

This book is old, but very interesting.

Bilingual Context for "ふるい"

このカメラはとてもふるいです。

This camera is very old.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "この本は＿＿＿ですが、とても面白いです。" (Meaning: "This book is old, but very interesting.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "古い" is used for "old (not for people), aged" in the context: "This book is old, but very interesting.".