Ichi
/ˈiː.tʃi/noun
A Japanese word meaning “one,” “first,” or “the best,” depending on context.
Did you know?In Japanese compounds, ichi can suggest both numerical firstness and superiority, as in ichiban, meaning “number one” or “the best.”
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
一
“One; a single unit”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
ʔjit
“One; single”
8th Century
Old Japanese
iti
“One; first, recorded in Japanese texts using Chinese characters”
Medieval Japanese
Japanese
ichi
“One; first; foremost”
Modern English
English loanword
ichi
“A Japanese term used in English contexts for one, first, or best”