比重(ひじゅう)

ひじゅう
noun
specific gravity; relative weight; proportion of importance
1. specific gravity; relative density
In physics, the ratio of a substance's density to that of water. A value above 1 means the substance sinks in water.
金(きん)は比重(ひじゅう)が大(おお)きい。
Gold has a high specific gravity.
油(あぶら)は水(みず)より比重(ひじゅう)が小(ちい)さい。
Oil has a lower specific gravity than water.
物質(ぶっしつ)が水(みず)に浮(う)くかどうかは比重(ひじゅう)で決(き)まる。
Whether a substance floats in water is determined by its specific gravity.
2. relative importance; weight; proportion
Figuratively, how large a share or how much importance something occupies within a larger whole.
彼(かれ)の生活(せいかつ)では仕事(しごと)の比重(ひじゅう)が大(おお)きい。
Work takes up a large share of his life.
最近(さいきん)、生活(せいかつ)の中(なか)で趣味(しゅみ)の比重(ひじゅう)が増(ふ)えた。
Lately, hobbies have come to take up a bigger part of my life.
その会社(かいしゃ)は海外(かいがい)事業(じぎょう)の比重(ひじゅう)を年々(ねんねん)高(たか)めている。
The company is raising the weight of its overseas business year by year.

Sense 1 is a physics term; sense 2 is a common figurative extension meaning how large a share or how much importance something holds.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 密度(みつど): density — mass per unit volume; 比重(ひじゅう) is density compared with water
  • 割合(わりあい): proportion; ratio — overlaps with sense 2 but is purely numerical, without the nuance of importance

Related Words

Compare: 密度(みつど) (density)
Compare: 割合(わりあい) (proportion)
Related: 浮力(ふりょく) (buoyancy)
general
Added 2026.5.16 12:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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