Two or more words which share a meaning in at least one of the senses of each.
5
votes
1answer
116 views
The difference between 書物、図書 and 本
What are the differences between these three words. They all seem to translate to "books".
書物、図書 and 本
6
votes
2answers
155 views
What may be the difference between the usage of チャンス and 機会 ?
What may be the difference between the usage of チャンス and 機会 ?
For example:
1) これは機会だぜ！
2) これはチャンスだぜ！
5
votes
2answers
123 views
what is the difference in the nuances / usage of 気に病む and 心配する ?
I was wondering what is the difference in the nuances / usage of 気に病む and 心配する ?
(E.g. If I want to tell my friend not to worry about a test (albeit an important test), is it more appropriate to use ...
7
votes
1answer
279 views
what's the difference between ところで and ちなみに ?
what's the difference between ところで and ちなみに ?
Are they always/often/seldom interchangeable?
7
votes
1answer
679 views
What's the difference between “マグロ” (maguro), “ツナ” (tsuna), and “シーチキン” (shiichikin)?
It seems that there are (at least) three words for "tuna" in Japanese:
"マグロ" / "鮪" / "まぐろ" (maguro) - Seems to be the native name for the creature and used at least in sushi
"ツナ" (tsuna) - Seems to ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views
What's the difference between “さけ” (sake) “しゃけ” (shake)?
Today I saw onigiri claiming to contain "しゃけ" (shake), when I asked my friend what that was she said it was the same as "さけ" (sake), "salmon".
So are these two just different readings of a kanji, ...
7
votes
2answers
267 views
What's the difference between “巻寿司” (makizushi), “海苔巻き” (norimaki), and “巻物” (makimono)?
It seems there are three words for the same Japanese food item, a kind of "sushi in a long roll":
"巻寿司" (makizushi)
"海苔巻き" (norimaki)
"巻物" (makimono)
Are they all identical / synonyms? Do they ...
3
votes
1answer
214 views
Is “ガール” (gāru) now considered a Japanese word? What about “ガールズ” (gāruzu)?
In my wanderings around Japan giving my kana knowledge some practice I've noticed both the words "ガール" (gāru) and "ガールズ" (gāruzu) in use at least in signage. Obviously they are borrowed from English ...
9
votes
1answer
320 views
ならば vs なら. both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
is it true that なら is merely a short form of ならば and as such, both are totally interchangeable without affecting the nuance of the sentence?
Also, a second question is is ならば more "formal" than "なら" ...
15
votes
4answers
580 views
Since Japanese already had several words for rice why was “ライス” (raisu) borrowed from English?
Last night I had dinner in a ramen restaurant in northern Japan and was surprised to read the katakana "ライス" (raisu) on the menu. This is obviously the English word "rice" borrowed. But what kind of ...
8
votes
1answer
151 views
What is the difference between “meshi” and “don” for the food sometimes translated as “rice bowl” in English?
I'm a big fan of the Japanese fast food gyudon (cooked thinly sliced beef strips on top of a bowl of boiled white rice) and its variants such as butadon (the same but with pork).
But why do some ...
