最重要(さいじゅうよう)

さいじゅうよう
adjective-na, noun
most important; top priority
1. most important; of the highest importance; top priority
The superlative form of 重要(じゅうよう), indicating something that is of the greatest significance or urgency among all options.
安全(あんぜん)が最重要(さいじゅうよう)だ。
Safety is the top priority.
これは最重要(さいじゅうよう)な課題(かだい)として取(と)り組(く)むべきだ。
We should tackle this as the most important issue.
会議(かいぎ)では顧客(こきゃく)の満足度(まんぞくど)を最重要(さいじゅうよう)の目標(もくひょう)に掲(かか)げた。
At the meeting, they set customer satisfaction as the top-priority goal.

Formed by the superlative prefix 最(さい) (most) + 重要(じゅうよう) (important). Used as a pre-noun modifier with な or directly before a noun without な in more formal/written contexts.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 最重要(さいじゅうよう)課題(かだい): the most important issue
  • 最重要(さいじゅうよう)事項(じこう): top-priority item
  • 最重要(さいじゅうよう)人物(じんぶつ): the most important person
  • 最重要(さいじゅうよう)拠点(きょてん): the most critical base/location

USAGE:
Often used with な when modifying a noun (最重要(さいじゅうよう)な問題(もんだい)), but in formal writing the な may be dropped (最重要(さいじゅうよう)問題(もんだい)). Can also be used as a predicate: Xが最重要(さいじゅうよう)だ (X is the most important).

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 重要(じゅうよう): important (base form, without superlative)
  • 最優先(さいゆうせん): highest priority (emphasizes order of action rather than inherent importance)
  • 肝心(かんじん): crucial, essential (more colloquial, focuses on what matters most in a practical sense)
general
Added 2026.5.8 0:17
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