Meaning
Selects the highest degree within a group.
Formation
- N1の中で + N2が + いちばん + adjective
- With a number of people or things keep の中で: 三人の中でいちばん (三人で alone means 'the three together'). After a place, a period or a category で is enough: クラスでいちばん, 一年でいちばん, スポーツで何がいちばん好きですか
When to use it
- Core use
- Selects the highest degree within a group
Examples
14 sentences-
スポーツの中でサッカーがいちばん好きです
Of all sports, I like football best.
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日本の町の中で東京がいちばん大きいです
Among Japanese cities, Tokyo is the largest.
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スポーツで何がいちばん面白いですか
Which sport is the most interesting?
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日本で富士山がいちばん高いです
Mount Fuji is the highest in Japan.
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果物の中でいちごがいちばん好きです
Of all fruits I like strawberries best.
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この店の中であの時計がいちばん高いです
That watch is the most expensive one in this shop.
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三人の中で姉がいちばん早く起きます
Of the three of us my older sister gets up earliest.
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一週間の中で金曜日がいちばん忙しいです
Friday is my busiest day of the week.
6 more examples
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この写真の中で海の写真がいちばんきれいです
Of these photos the one of the sea is the prettiest.
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スポーツの中で水泳がいちばん好きです
Of all sports I like swimming best.
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家族の中で父がいちばん料理が上手です
My father is the best cook in the family.
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この本の中で最後の話がいちばん面白いです
The last story is the most interesting one in this book.
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今日の授業の中で音楽がいちばん楽しかったです
Music was the most enjoyable class today.
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旅行の中で去年の京都旅行がいちばん楽しかったです
Of all my trips, last year's trip to Kyoto was the most enjoyable.
Important notes
- Name the group first, then the item: 果物の中でりんごがいちばん好きです. After a place or a period で is enough: 日本でいちばん高い山.
Common mistakes
- Ask with が: 何がいちばん好きですか, not 何は. With a number of people keep の中で: 三人の中で, since 三人で means 'the three together'.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
Hear it in podcasts
The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.
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