Sometimes it makes a lot of sense when a word has double meaning. “Hayai” as both early and fast is easy to remember since they are related concepts.
On the other hand some aren’t so obvious. Why is “takai” both tall and expensive? No clue. But hopefully the thought of an expensive and tall mountain will help you remember.
Vocabulary
一番 = いちばん = first
二番 = にばん = second
三番 = さんばん = third
高い = たかい = tall, high
山 = やま = mountain
Transcript
言語ガールズ #115
We’re Number One
Blue: Adding 番(ばん） to the end of a number let’s you create words like “first”, “second”, “third” and so on.
Yellow: 一番, 二番, 三番
Blue: 一番 can also mean “the best” or “the most”.
Blue: You could say that Mt. Everest is the 一番高い山
Yellow: I thought 高い meant expensive?
Blue: It can also mean tall.
Yellow: I wonder what the 一番 expensive mountain is?
Blue: You mean the most expensive to visit?
Yellow: I mean the most expensive to buy and use as a doom fortress.