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Learn Hardcore Japanese: tanmatudaikin ha takai. - The cost of the mobile device is high.

Hardcore Japanese
/Disputing an incorrect mobile phone bill
/tanmatsudaikin wa takai.

tanmatsudaikin wa takai.

端末代金たんまつだいきん　は　高たかい。tanmatsudaikin wa takai.

The cost of the mobile device is high.

Breakdown of tanmatsudaikin wa takai.

高たかいtakai

端末代金たんまつだいきんtanmatsudaikin

the cost of a mobile device

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Questions & Answers about tanmatsudaikin wa takai.

How do you read 端末代金は高い?

It is read:

たんまつだいきんはたかい。

端末 = たんまつ
代金 = だいきん
高い = たかい

In normal Japanese writing, you would usually write it without spaces:

端末代金は高い。

What does 端末代金 mean exactly?

端末代金 means the price/cost of the device/terminal.

A few notes:

端末 literally means a terminal or device
In everyday situations, it often refers to things like a phone, mobile device, or other electronic unit
代金 means price, charge, or amount to be paid

So 端末代金 is a fairly formal or business-like way to say the device cost or the price of the handset/device.

Why is the particle は used here?

Nihon-shiki romanizationwatasi ha tyuugoku kara kimasita

Hepburn romanizationwatashi wa chuugoku kara kimashita

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は marks the topic of the sentence.

So in:

端末代金は高い。

the topic is 端末代金. The sentence is saying something about the device cost:

As for the device cost, it is high
more naturally in English: The device cost is high

This is a very common Japanese pattern:

X は Y

= As for X, it is Y

Could I use が instead of は here?

Yes, 端末代金が高い is possible, but the nuance changes.

端末代金は高い。
Topic-focused. It sounds like speaking of the device cost, it’s high. This is often used when the cost is already part of the conversation or when you are contrasting it with something else.
端末代金が高い。
Subject-focused. This can sound more like the thing that is high is the device cost, or it may present the information more directly.

In many everyday contexts, は is the more natural choice if the speaker is making a general comment.

Why is there no です at the end?

Because this sentence is in plain style.

端末代金は高い。 = plain / casual / dictionary-style
端末代金は高いです。 = polite

Japanese often leaves off です in plain statements, especially in:

casual speech
written notes
headlines
examples in textbooks

So the sentence is complete even without です.

Why is 高い used directly after the noun? Is it an adjective?

Yes. 高い is an い-adjective.

In Japanese, い-adjectives can end a sentence by themselves:

高い。 = is expensive / is high
安い。 = is cheap
大きい。 = is big

So:

端末代金は高い。

is grammatically complete. You do not need a verb like is in English.

That is different from English, where you need is:

The device cost is high

But in Japanese, 高い already carries the predicate function.

Does 高い mean high or expensive here?

Here, 高い means expensive.

The adjective 高い can mean both:

high in height/level
expensive in price

Because the topic is 端末代金 (device cost), the meaning is naturally expensive.

So in this sentence, you should understand it as:

The device cost is expensive
more natural English: The device cost is high or The device is expensive

Why are there spaces between the words?

The spaces are just for learning clarity.

Normally, Japanese is written without spaces:

端末代金は高い。

Textbooks and beginner materials often add spaces to help learners see the parts:

端末代金
は
高い

But in natural Japanese writing, those spaces are usually not used.

Is 端末代金 one word, or is it made of smaller parts?

It is a compound noun made from smaller parts:

端末 = device / terminal
代金 = price / payment amount

Together:

端末代金 = device price / handset cost

Japanese often combines nouns this way to make compact expressions. English usually uses of or noun modifiers instead:

the price of the device
device cost

Is this a natural sentence in real life?

Yes, it is natural, especially in contexts like:

phone contracts
electronics sales
billing explanations
comparison charts
customer service talk

It sounds a little business-like or matter-of-fact. In very casual conversation, someone might instead say:

このスマホ、高い。 = This phone is expensive.
端末の値段は高い。 = The price of the device is high.

So 端末代金は高い。 is natural, but it has a somewhat formal or technical feel.

Could I also say 端末の代金は高い?

Yes, absolutely.

端末代金は高い。
端末の代金は高い。

Both are understandable and natural.

The difference is mainly style:

端末代金 is a compact compound noun, a bit more formal or business-like
端末の代金 is slightly more explicitly structured and may feel easier for learners to parse

Japanese often has both options:

compound noun style
A の B style

Both can work depending on tone and context.

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