This means 'the most' or 'the best'. You use it to say something is number one among many things.
Noun + が + 一番 + い-AdjectivePrimary
Noun + が + 一番 + な-Adjective
Noun + が + 一番 + Verb
This means 'the most' or 'the best'. You use it to say something is number one among many things.
日本料理の中で、寿司が一番好きです。
Among Japanese dishes, I like sushi the best.
昨日見た映画の中では、これが一番面白かったです。
Among the movies I watched yesterday, this one was the most interesting.
全員が納得する方法が一番いいとは限らない。
The method that everyone agrees on is not necessarily the best one.
これが一番早く目的地に着く方法である。
This is the fastest way to arrive at the destination.
どの季節が一番旅行しやすいかな？
I wonder which season is the easiest to travel in.
This grammar is like putting a crown on something. It shows what is 'the most' of something. You can use it for size, speed, or what you like best.
You use "ichiban" when you compare three or more things. You pick one as "the most" or "the best." This is different from "yori." You use "yori" when you compare only two things. For example, you can say "I like sushi the most." Or you can say "I like sushi more than ramen."
Watch out: People often mix up が and は. When you ask "What is best?" you almost always use が. For example, 「何が一番好きですか？」. When you answer, you can use は to say "As for me, sushi is best." You can also use が to say "Sushi is the best one." Using が is the most common way to say what is number one.
Track your mastery
Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.