View source for Dai-ichi

{{wiktionary|第一}}
{{dictdef|date=May 2023}}
{{italic title}}
'''{{transl|ja|Dai-ichi}}''' (第一) is a [[compound (linguistics)#Noun–noun compounds|compound]] [[grammatical modifier|modifier]] phrase of [[Japanese language|Japanese]] origin, meaning ''[[wikt:number one|number one]]'',<ref>Hobart-Hampden, Ernest Miles and Sir Harold George Parlett, eds., [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q42GqaVF2g0C&q=dai-ichi&pg=PA327 ''An English-Japanese dictionary of the spoken language''], via Google Books. Retrieved 2011-03-18.</ref> or ''[[wikt:first|first]]''. In [[kanji]], "dai" ("number") is 第<ref name=dai>Nakao, Seigo, [https://books.google.com/books?id=jvwxRz7s_e4C&dq=japanese+dictionary+dai-ichi&pg=PT57 ''Random House Japanese-English English-Japanese Dictionary''], via Google Books, p. 39. Retrieved 2011-03-18.</ref> and "ichi" ("one") is 一.<ref>Nakao, Seigo, [https://books.google.com/books?id=fWLOFf1MGZQC&dq=japanese+dictionary+ichi&pg=PA95 ''Random House Japanese-English English-Japanese Dictionary''], via Google Books, p. 95. Retrieved 2011-03-18.</ref> "Dai" is also defined "[[Ordinal number (linguistics)|ordinal]] number marker."<ref name=dai/> It is this feature that makes the phrase a modifier, or an adjective, describing a noun, as ''first''. ''Number one'' functions in the same way.
The phrase is also written without the hyphen, as '''daiichi'''.
'''Dai-ichi''' is frequently used in [[proper noun|proper names]], hence capitalized; also '''Dai-Ichi''' and occasionally '''Dai Ichi'''. There is a sound-alike common first name with different spelling.
:Uses include but are not limited to:
*[[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant]] (or Fukushima Dai-ichi), a.k.a. Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant (福島第一原子力発電所) (dai and ichi are the third and fourth characters) – a six-unit nuclear plant complex struck in the March 11, [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]]
*[[Dai-ichi Life]] Insurance Co (第一生命保険株式会社) – the third largest life insurer in Japan by revenues
*[[Dai Ichi Daihoumaru Ship case]] (第一大邦丸事件) – a 1952 incident between the South Korean Coast Guard and the Japanese Dai Ichi Daihoumaru ship
*[[Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank]] (第一勧業銀行) – was one of the largest banks in the world during the latter half of the 20th century
*[[1st Air Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)|Dai-ichi KōKū Kantai]] (第一航空艦隊) (dai and ichi are the first and second characters) – 1st Air Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy; amongst a number of military-unit names incorporating the phrase
*[[Radio Nikkei#Programming|Dai-ichi Hōsō]] – The 1st Broadcast (第1放送) (dai is first character; ichi is the numeral "1" instead of 一) on Radio Nikkei carries general programs and horse racing from eastern Japan ([[wikt:hōsō|hōsō]]; click link to edit listing)
*[[Dai-Ichi-dōri Station]] (第一通り駅) – a commuter station in downtown Hamamatsu city ([[wikt:dōri|dōri]])
*Morioka Dai-ichi High School, a.k.a. [[Morioka First High School]] (盛岡第一高等学校) – is a public university preparatory high school in Morioka city, Iwate, Japan
*[[Daiichi Sankyo]] (第一三共株式会社) (Dai and ichi are the first and second characters) – a Japan-based major pharmaceutical company
*[[Daiichi Institute of Technology]] (第一工業大学) – a private university in Kirishima, Kagoshima, Japan
*[[Dai-ichi (Go competition)|Dai-ichi]] was the name of a professional Go tournament 1959–75
==Related phrases==
'''Dai-ni''' (第二) means ''[[wikt:number two|number two]]'' or ''[[wikt:second|second]]'', using two parallel bars (二) or "2" for "ni"; also '''daini'''
:Examples
:*[[Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant]], a.k.a. Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant, (福島第二原子力発電所) (dai and ni are the third and fourth characters), Fukushima Dai-Ni Genshiryoku Hatsudensho, Fukushima II NPP, 2F or "Fukushima Daini" – a four-unit nuclear plant complex seven miles south of the Dai-Ichi plants and also struck in the March 11, 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
:*[[Radio Nikkei#Programming|Radio Nikkei's 2nd Broadcast]] (第2放送) (dai is first character; ni is the numeral "2" instead of 二) (Dai-ni Hōsō) carries live company stock price announcement and horse racing from western Japan; Radio Nikkei is Japan's domestic shortwave commercial radio broadcasting station
'''Dai-san''' (第三) means ''number three'' or ''third'', using three parallel bars (三) or "3" for "san"
:Examples
:*[[Kyōto 3rd district]] (京都府第3区)
:*[[Happoshu|"the third beer"]] (第三のビール) (dai-san no bīru) – beer-flavored beverages developed to compete with [[Happoshu]] or low-malt beer
And continuing for 4, 5, 6, etc.
==See also==
*[[Dai (disambiguation)]]
*[[Ichiban (disambiguation)]], Japanese for "number one" or "best"
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]