# 奥が深い



## adexx

What does 奥が深い mean in this sentence?
この辺の風習は、私が思っていたより奥が深そうです。
Is it positive or negative in meaning?


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## Wishfull

Hi.
(より）、奥が深い
＝not simple, （not so simple)
=complicated, (more complicated than)

_The customs around here seems more complicated than I have expected._

Positive? or Negative? 
Well, I don't know. It may be both.


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## Ghabi

It may mean along the line of "profound", "more than meets the eyes".


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## adexx

Thanks guys.


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## horangi

Think of the English word "deeper" as in "more profound."


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## Aoyama

I would have thought that * 奥が深い*  would have meant "deeply rooted" ....


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## Wishfull

Aoyama said:


> I would have thought that * 奥が深い*  would have meant "deeply rooted" ....



I now agree.
I think your translation is probably better than at least mine.


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## Aoyama

Well not so sure. because "deeply rooted" is really "*根深い*" which is different.
*奥が深い* might mean : [with] many underlying/hidden reasons/meanings ...


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## Wishfull

Aoyama said:


> Well not so sure. because "deeply rooted" is really "*根深い*" which is different.
> *奥が深い* might mean : [with] many underlying/hidden reasons/meanings ...



OK.
I think you're correct. This time too.
I think 奥が深い　might mean 根が深い in this context, though.

奥が深い　is a typical Japanese expression in a sense.  It is vague and has many interpretations. 
Sometimes the writer himself is unsure and vague, and  hope that readers might choose their  favorite interpretation by themselves.

To confirm the true meaning of that sentence, we have to ask the original writer.


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## Aoyama

> I think 奥が深い　might mean 根が深い in this context, though.


That is one question.


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## mikun

Hi,
'奥が深い' phrase is itself '奥が深い', not easily understood, need cultural historical and social background knowledge. I want to think 'sumou' as one of the example of 奥が深い.
As sumou comes from the ancient ceremonial event, grand champion, YOKOZUNA, is requested not only strengh and power but also decency. This is the difference between sumou and restling. HAKUHOU is thought to be good YOKOZUNA because he is polite and gentle, but ASASHOURYU is not.


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## adexx

Thanks for all of your explanation.
For better understanding, let me give a little bit of context here:
This Japanese guy is new here, and after a while he found that his usual way of dealing business is not suitable in this country, and that people here do business in a very different way. So he wrote that sentence in an email to another Japanese colleague.


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## Aoyama

I would render that like this :
"there is more here than what meet the eyes", the folks here have mores that I couldn't imagine.
To come back to your initial question, it is neither a positive or a negative comment (in as far as misunderstanding is not taken as negative).  It is just a statement.


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## Wishfull

Aoyama said:


> I would have thought that * 奥が深い*  would have meant "deeply rooted" ....



Hello, Aoyama, I have to note one thing.
I agree that 奥が深い　would have meant "deeply rooted".
BUT
The translation of "deeply rooted" is different from 根が深い in this context, because 根が深い　is used to something bad, for example, battle, quarrel, fight、conflict.

For example,
パレスチナとイスラエルの対立は、私が想像していた以上に根が深い。
パレスチナとイスラエルの対立は、私が想像していた以上に奥が深い。

あそこの夫婦げんかは、君が思っているより根が深いんだ。

ここの習慣は、思ったより奥が深い
ここの習慣は、思ったより根が深い


Of course、 I know someone like you has probably known that, 
just 老婆心ながら。

edit;There might be one rule that;
奥が深い　is for good meaning,　while 根が深い　is for bad meaning.
奥が深い　might be for bad meaning, when it is used in sarcastic way.


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## Aoyama

> there might be one rule that;
> 奥が深い　is for good meaning,　while 根が深い　is for bad meaning.
> 奥が深い　might be for bad meaning, when it is used in sarcastic way


 
正しく覚えましょう ....


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## Catnails

Japanese people often use the phrase very casually, when they just mean that there is a lot for them to learn about a topic.


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## Wishfull

Catnails said:


> Japanese people often use the phrase very casually, when they just mean that there is a lot for them to learn about a topic.



Yes, I agree with you, too.

いやあ、「奥が深い」って、ほんとうに奥が深いんですねえ。


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