Subtle differences between two seemingly interchangeable expressions.
4
votes
1answer
87 views
逃げる vs 逃れる What's the nuance?
This is the question I was trying to ask when I made this question, but I guess I can't type or read or think.
I'm looking for the difference between 逃げる and 逃れる. I'm assuming it's something like ...
2
votes
1answer
60 views
逃げる vs 逃す What's the nuance?
It's pretty straightforward, I'm wondering what the nuance between 逃げる and 逃す is?
I'm assuming it's something like the difference between "run away" and "escape", but which one is which?
5
votes
1answer
145 views
Terms for Royalty
Why are there so many terms for royalty? And I'm talking about generic words like "king", "queen", etc. I seem to remember from my studies that certain terminology was used specifically for Japanese ...
6
votes
1answer
134 views
What's the difference between 心, 念, and 意?
I can say that after much research on this, I'm more thoroughly confused than before I started. I'm talking mostly about when they are used as suffixes, but the concept applies when they stand alone, ...
6
votes
4answers
320 views
What's the most appropriate negative potential form for this situation?
This morning my co-worker asked me if I wanted some coffee. I said, "No thanks, I can't drink coffee because it upsets my stomach." I was thinking of how I'd say this in Japanese, but I'm not sure ...
7
votes
1answer
127 views
What's the difference between ぜひ and きっと when inviting someone to do something?
You can say for example
ぜひパーティーにいらしてね
そのうちまた是非お出かけください
「今晩お伺いしてもいいですか」「ぜひどうぞ」
and
きっと来てくださいね
きっと訪ねて来てください
I would translate both ぜひ and きっと in these sentences with "by all means", but I'm ...
5
votes
2answers
108 views
what's the difference between 領域 、範囲 and 分野?
Could anyone explain to me the difference between these 3 words, especially between 範囲 and 領域 ？
For example, I have these 練習問題:
a.分野 b.領域 c.範囲
① 試験の……… は、17課までです。
② 外の大学との交流が進んで研究の……… が広がった。
③ ...
4
votes
1answer
176 views
What is the difference between 出す and 始める when used as a suffix?
Judging from examples I've seen, these are some differences I think there are:
始める:
1: More formal than 出す
2: When the focus in more on the beginning of the verb than the verb itself
3: When the ...
3
votes
1answer
108 views
What's the difference between どうして and どうやって?
I've read on stackexchange that どうやって can be used to mean "what did you do in order to x"
どうやってお医者になったか? - What did you do in order to become a doctor?
This definition makes alot of sense to ...
6
votes
1answer
145 views
Translating volitive expressions in ads into English
I saw this on an advertisement outside the construction site of a company that makes wooden houses:
木{き}の家{いえ}と、暮{く}らそう。
I'm trying to think of a way to translate it other than:
Live with a wooden ...
3
votes
2answers
168 views
How does the addition of のか to the end of a sentence affect the meaning?
I've always had trouble understanding か (question particle) in casual speech. I read that in casual situations, か can be used to give the sentence an exasperated or sarcastic tone. Like in:
負けっかよ！ ...
4
votes
0answers
189 views
What's the difference between 欲{ほっ}する and 欲しがる?
Is there one? One of my dictionaries lists them as
欲{ほっ}する → to desire/to want
欲しがる → to desire/to want/to wish for/to covet
Only the latter sounds like it includes more "bad"/selfish ...
4
votes
2answers
149 views
Meaning of あくまで in あくまで私個人の意見です
What is the meaning of あくまで in the sentence あくまで私個人の意見です ?
ALC: back and edge, consistently
GJiten: to the end; to the bitter end; to the last; stubbornly; persistently; to the utmost
What nuance is ...
5
votes
1answer
142 views
迷宮 vs 迷路
WWWJDIC says that both 迷宮 and 迷路 mean "maze / labyrinth".
Google Images suggests that they are about the same thing: link1, link2
However, what may be the differences in nuance and usage between 迷宮 ...
1
vote
1answer
161 views
What is the difference between the two kanji pairings for 'jellyfish'?
I am aware that animal names are generally written in katakana (although sometimes hiragana), but kanji is sometimes used. I stumbled upon the Japanese word クラゲ, meaning jellyfish. The dictionary said ...
2
votes
1answer
117 views
降参する vs 諦める
What's the difference between 降参する and 諦める?
Both seems to have the meaning of "to give up", for example:
ぜったい降参しない。(I will never give up.)
ぜったい諦めない。(I will never give up.)
What's the difference ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Meaning of auxiliary ゆく/いく in this context
While translating a song, I've stumbled upon the following sentence:
落ちた希望を拾って明日に繋いでゆけば
Which got me wondering what the difference between the following two is:
落ちた希望を拾って明日に繋いでゆけば
...
4
votes
3answers
134 views
Expressing “I like to <do something>”
I was trying to express the idea of "Like + do something", as in "I like to drink tea" or "I like to eat pasta".
After a quick search I found that you can express it like this, omitting the parts to ...
12
votes
3answers
319 views
What is the difference between 大事 and 大切?
These are two words that seem like they are basically interchangeable at most levels, as they generally are. The difference between them appears to be small, but what is the difference, if one exists? ...
7
votes
1answer
108 views
What's the difference between まだ and いまだ（に）?
My intuition wants to believe that いまだに is more formal, but all the examples I've seen do not indicate that. Are they freely interchangeable? Can't say I've ever heard いまだに in spoken context (or ...
5
votes
1answer
92 views
Expressing a sequence of actions using 〜たとき?
I am aware that one can explain that to things happen at the same time using plain non past form + とき:
電車に乗るとき転びました。"I fell when I got on the train (I was going through the door when it happened)" ...
3
votes
1answer
104 views
火を噴く vs 火を吐く
What's the difference between 火を噴いて{ふ} and 火を吐いて{は} ?
Both seems to mean fire-spitting, like a fire-breathing dragon, but is there any difference in their nuances?
5
votes
1answer
177 views
自分の vs 自らの when used for humans
What's the difference between 自分の and 自らの?
Both can be used to mean "oneself", but is there a difference in their nuances / usages?
(e.g. what would be the difference between あの子は、自らの命と引換に… and ...
0
votes
1answer
197 views
What's the difference between 平和 and 和平?
If you ask someone how to say "peace" the likely answer you'll get is 平和, which is the common option, but occasionally you'll see the word 和平, which has a very similar meaning, and is indeed just a ...
5
votes
2answers
184 views
What's the difference between 触る and 触れる?
These two seem to overlap almost completely. The only thing I can really tell is that 触れる seems that it can also be used in a metaphorical sense ("touch on" something; feel; perceive). I'm ...
9
votes
2answers
176 views
What's the difference between くる and やってくる?
Can someone explain the nuance between them? They both mean "come", but I'm unsure of when they are interchangeable. My perception is that やってくる seems to put more emphasis on the actual action of ...
8
votes
1answer
151 views
Is it actually impolite to say ご苦労様 to a superior?
Conventional ビジネスマナー tells us that ご苦労様 is used by superiors to subordinates and お疲れ様 used by everyone, and this is backed up all over the internet and stated on some questions here, like this.
But ...
4
votes
2answers
188 views
餌食 vs 獲物
What is the difference between 餌食{えじき} and 獲物{えもの}?
Both mean "prey", so how do we decide when to use which?
What is the difference in their nuances?
5
votes
1answer
148 views
勤め vs 役目
What is the difference between 勤め and 役目?
Both seems to mean duty (something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation), but what is the difference in their nuance and ...
4
votes
2answers
106 views
Difference in nuance between 証明 and 証拠?
I know that both of these words mean "proof", but I can't figure out what the difference is, or if there's any at all. Can anyone explain to me the difference in nuance between these two words?
6
votes
1answer
282 views
Difference in nuance between 頂ければと思います, 頂けませんか, and 頂きたいんですけども
I've recently started using the expression 頂ければと思います, but I'm not 100% sure about its precise nuance.
Is there any difference in nuance between
頂ければと思います
頂けませんか
頂きたいんですけども?
To my non-native ear, ...
4
votes
2answers
126 views
Difference between words that describe the idea of neighborhood/being close to something
Can somebody describe the difference between these words(physical distance and maybe politeness of these words, or any aspects that you think are important to understand these).
Can all these words ...
11
votes
2answers
217 views
What is the nuance between 手数 and 手間?
I've found the dictionary definitions of 手数 and 手間, both that are translated to "time, labor":
手数
１ それをするのに要する動作・作業などの数。てかず。「―のかかる料理」
２ 他人のためにことさらにかける手間。てかず。「お―でもよろしく」「お―をかけて恐縮です」
VS
...
5
votes
2answers
160 views
What's the difference between 捕らえる and 捕まえる? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Fun with synonyms - “to grab/catch/capture”
From my current understanding, 捕らえる means 'to capture', while 捕まえる is used to mean 'to arrest'. Is this correct? And is 捕まる ...
5
votes
1answer
86 views
What is the difference between 家屋, 家 and 住居
I've found yet another word that's translated as 'home' which now makes it 3. Could you please tell me if these words have the same exact meaning or is there any difference between their usage?
0
votes
2answers
218 views
Possible ways to express remembrance and recall
How is it possible in Japanese language to express concepts of recall and remembrance?
I mean, recall is generally referred to the way we take out something from our memory which is related to ...
2
votes
3answers
230 views
What is the difference between 覚える and 見覚える?
I only have basic 和英 definitions to go on, but I'm guessing the nuance is that 覚える has more to do with things you learn or study, and 見覚える is more like remembering experiences. Or is there something ...
9
votes
2answers
161 views
Particle と with へ; ～へと
Consider ～へと in these cases:
～へと下がる : (of some quantity) to fall to ~
～へと先送りされる : to be postponed to ~
～へと旅立つ : to make a trip to ~
～へと広がる : to spread to ~
へと seems to be equivalent ...
6
votes
2answers
212 views
Addressing children in Japanese
Apologies for the very vague question. I'm unsure of how I'm supposed to address and talk to children - I imagine it varies a little depending on the social situation, and in general I should avoid ...
7
votes
2answers
189 views
What is the difference in usage between a plural using (a) the kanji repetition character 々, (b) a plural using -たち, and (c) the singular?
I know that there are some noun that are made plural by the kanji repetition character, such as 人々 and 国々. My question is, how does this differ from using the non-plural form of the noun? And how does ...
5
votes
1answer
157 views
の要領で as “in the same way as”/“in the manner of” vs. のように
Full text is over here.
This is part of the description of how 茄子餃子{なすぎょうざ} is prepared at a particular restaurant:
天ぷらの要領で水で溶いた小麦粉をつけて中火の油で揚げる。
If の要領で was replaced by のように, would there be any ...
5
votes
1answer
180 views
What is the difference between むかしっから and むかしから?
In my book I found both むかしっから and むかしから within the span of a couple pages, in very similar contexts. What is the significance of that small-tsu (with regards to the meaning, not the pronunciation)?
...
4
votes
2answers
229 views
What's the difference between 上る、登る and 昇る?
According to jisho.org, they all have the same meanings, to climb, to rise, to ascend. Is that true? And do they have differences in usage?
6
votes
1answer
135 views
What's the difference between 平行 and 並行?
They both seem to mean "parallel". In my プログレッシブ dictionary, it seems to point to the former being the more mathematical sense of the definition (two co-planar, non-intersecting lines), while the ...
5
votes
2answers
424 views
What is -からです, and when is it used?
I have seen this expression a few times, and have never quite understood it. In particular, it seems to be equatable both to ですから and to んです, but I can't figure out where it would be used over either ...
7
votes
2answers
183 views
けど vs. が for “but” conjuction
This question covers the difference between でも and けど for "but", the difference being that でも can be used at the beginning of a sentence. But けど and が are used in very much the same way, ...
4
votes
2answers
230 views
Help with the difference between causative and the causative-passive for the verb 笑う
I've always had a hard time immediately understanding the differences between passive, causative, and causative-passive. If I really sit down and try to work out the meaning I can generally get it, ...
7
votes
1answer
175 views
To take responsibility: 責任を 取る・負う・持つ
What are the nuances between these three verbs when paired with 責任? I understand they all mean "to take responsibility", but are they interchangeable, etc?
責任を取る
責任を負う
責任を持つ
負う's definition says ...
6
votes
1answer
155 views
Difference between 一段 imperatives ～よ・～ろ
一段 verbs may be conjugated to form imperative forms of ～よ or ～ろ.
For example:
見る forms either 見よ or 見ろ
食べる forms either 食べよ or 食べろ
How did the two forms come about?
What is the difference in ...
6
votes
1answer
164 views
How to describe the inside of one's mind?
On one page in my book, I came across 3 different phrases for, what seems to me, subtly different ways of saying the same thing.
The first was: 頭の隅に
Then: 脳裏に
The information I was able to find ...
