1.
smart; intelligent; clever; bright
Describing someone who is intellectually sharp, quick-witted, or academically talented. The most common everyday way to say someone is smart in Japanese.
彼女は頭がいい。
She is smart.
頭がいい人は説明が上手だ。
Smart people are good at explaining things.
あの子は頭がいいだけでなく、運動もできる。
That kid is not only smart but also good at sports.
Literally "head is good." The most natural and common way to express that someone is intelligent in casual Japanese. The opposite is 頭が悪い (not smart, slow-witted), which is quite blunt and can be offensive.
USAGE:
Used freely in conversation but avoided in formal writing, where 聡明な or 知的な is preferred. Can refer to academic intelligence, quick thinking, or practical cleverness depending on context. Sometimes used sarcastically: 頭がいいね can mean "aren't you clever" in an ironic way.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 頭がいい人 — a smart person
- 頭が悪い — not smart, slow (opposite; blunt)
- 頭の良さ — smartness, intelligence
- 頭の良い子 — a bright child
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 賢い — wise, clever (slightly more formal; includes practical wisdom)
- 聡明な — brilliant, sagacious (formal; literary)
- 利口な — clever, shrewd (can imply street-smarts or being calculating)