Japanese word corresponding to "
best" or "
most" in
English. It literally
translates to "number one" -- the fact that it is the means of saying "greatest" or "best" kind of emphasizes the strict
ranking system of historic
Japan.
Ichiban kirai na yasui wa nan desu ka.
Which vegetables do you hate the most?
(lit. As for number one hated vegetables, what are they?)
Sono neko wa ichiban kiree desu.
That cat is the prettiest.
Written ichi-ban, with the kanji for the numeral "one" and "number in a series". Sometimes written completely with hiragana.