# 大切な or 大事な



## JapanForever

Hi there,
I would like to know: which of these terms sound the more natural between to talk about family for example : 
_大切な_妹 
_大事な_妹
I know the two mean "important" but the first seems stronger, isn't it?


----------



## uchi.m

大事な妹 dearest little sister


----------



## JapanForever

So what is the more natural between these two?


----------



## uchi.m

It depends on what you'd like to say. What is the full sentence and context?


----------



## JapanForever

I would like to send a letter to my sister who is in Japan. So what is the more natural term to say "dear sister"? I guess 大事な妹 seems stronger but the other _大切な_妹 seems more natural?


----------



## uchi.m

Écris t-elle 大事な妹.


----------



## JapanForever

Okay. By the way what is difference between these two?


----------



## uchi.m

http://kotobank.jp/word/大切
１ もっとも必要であり、重んじられるさま。重要であるさま。「―な条件」「―な書類」
２ 丁寧に扱って、大事にするさま。「本を―にする」「命を―にする」
３ 急を要するさま。「―なる事有りて、夜を昼にて上れば」〈今昔・一六・二〇〉

http://kotobank.jp/word/大事
１ 価値あるものとして、大切に扱うさま。「―な品」「親を―にする」「どうぞ、お―に」​２ 重要で欠くことのできないさま。ある物事の存否にかかわるさま。「―な用を忘れていた」「今が―な時期だ」
→大切(たいせつ)［用法］


----------



## JapanForever

sorry can you translate it for me please?


----------



## uchi.m

tai.setsu

1 The act of being important and mostly necessary. The act of being essential.
2 The act of being important by handling something carefully.
3 The act of being urgent.

dai.ji

1 The act of handling something important, as if it had some value.
2 The act of not being capable of losing something due to its importance.


----------



## JapanForever

But I thought taisetsu was the contrary and it meant "important" to heart.


----------



## noriaki

Hello,

Are you asking about a letter head?
If so, we don't use these expressions. (It is Japanese culture.)

"Nickname + へ" is the best way for the letter head to someone who has a very close relationship.


----------



## JapanForever

Ah okay. Thanks noriaki. But out of curiosity I would like to know what is the difference between these words as I want to say in my letter "You always will be my dearest/precious little sister"


----------



## noriaki

Basically, there are no difference of the meaning in this topic, and you can use both of them.

So I can't explain, but personally I feel, 大切な sounds like more emotional.
(It's just my sense. Someone else may feel differently.)


----------



## JapanForever

according to uchi.m daijina seems stronger


----------



## noriaki

What I say is "sounds like emotional".

uchi.m has already discribed about other things.


----------



## JapanForever

okay. A last question: I saw daiji sounded like more "essential, necessary" no?


----------



## noriaki

It can be. But it's just depending on a context. Not basic meanings.


----------

