Questions tagged [nuances]
ニュアンス. Subtle differences between two seemingly interchangeable expressions.
1,191
questions
1
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1answer
57 views
Use of は in 「確認はされていない」
I think the quote
「確認はされていない」
translates to "It hasn't been confirmed yet". However, the use of は is leaving me a bit uncertain. As far as I know, 確認 can be used either a name or a する-verb,...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
What's the difference between 倹約 and 節約？
I have been reviewing 倹約 when the word 節約 came to my mind. They share a common kanji, they both mean "to save, to economize" (of course, after putting する). How do these words differ? I ...
2
votes
1answer
59 views
Placement of この in the given sentence
I have a doubt regarding the placement of この in the following sentence:
ポケモンが住んでいるこのジャングルでは、あちこちでポケモンを見かけることができ、今も男たちの頭上で、マンキーの群れが木々の間を飛び移っていく。
The sentence is quite big and I only placed it for ...
2
votes
2answers
90 views
What's the difference between ともかく and とにかく?
I have a feeling that they are etymologically related based on their kanjis 兎も角 and 兎に角 (although they're just 当て字 so there's not much to extract from those kanjis, I guess), but I can't fully ...
1
vote
3answers
106 views
What's the difference between 気がする vs 思いをする?
During my flashcard reviews, I once again encountered 思いをする filed under N1 grammar. I find it difficult to believe that such a self-explanatory grammar point would be classified as N1 or maybe I was ...
3
votes
1answer
210 views
What's the difference between 近々 and 間もなく?
I checked the Weblio sentences for 近々 and I saw this:
We are to start shortly.
近々に出発の予定です.
This reminded me of 間もなくwhich I often hear in trains. What is the difference between the two?
I checked ...
2
votes
3answers
87 views
What's the difference between 見本 and 標本?
They both mean "specimen", right?
Am I right in assuming that 見本 is for goods, products on sale but 標本 is for zoological samples, etc.?
I checked the sample sentences on Weblio just to check ...
4
votes
1answer
345 views
What's the difference between 発信 and 配信
When I encountered the sample sentence for 発信, I read this:
インターネットを使えば、誰でも世界に情報を発信することができる。
This reminded me of 配信 which I usually see online (especially on YouTube). How are these two words ...
4
votes
1answer
155 views
ながら vs ながらも – what are the subtle differences?
I have read in Tae Kim's book that "You can attach the inclusive particle 「も」 to get 「ながらも」. This changes the meaning from "while" to "Even while"."
I personally do not ...
2
votes
1answer
176 views
What's the difference between 折衷 and 妥協?
They both refer to a concept of "compromise"
According to this, it 妥協 has some negative meaning in the sense that one is left with no choice but to compromise, but 折衷 is more like taking the ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
What difference in meaning does 本/実 give in words like 本物 and 実物?
They both mean "real/actual thing" (as opposed to some imitation), right? Breaking apart these kanji compounds, it is apparent that 本 and 実 give the meaning of "real." How are these two "reals" ...
1
vote
1answer
65 views
Interpretation of めったに人前に現れないものもいる
I was reading a book of Pokemon, and this sentence came across:
中には、「幻」と呼ばれ、めったに人前に現れないものもいる。(Original)
My interpretation was
Among them, one is called a "phantom" and rarely appears in public....
0
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2answers
184 views
Why does the word 昨夜 have multiple pronunciations?
I picked up Japanese just recently, and I am confused as to why the word 昨夜 has so many different ways to pronounce it. In my dictionary, the pronunciations are listed as ゆうべ、ゆんべ and さくや. Do the ...
5
votes
2answers
119 views
What's the difference between 声明 and 宣言?
I was going through my word list again, when I saw 声明 which was translated to "declaration, proclamation." This reminded me of a more commonly appearing word, 宣言, thanks to articles related to 緊急事態. I ...
0
votes
1answer
71 views
What's the difference between 特定する and 指摘する
I was browsing through a vocabulary list when I noticed that both words can mean "to pinpoint" as in
彼らは今日の火事の原因を特定しようとしている。
Are they interchangeable in this context? Are there cases when one is ...
2
votes
1answer
76 views
What's the difference between 滞在する and とどまる
They can mean "stay" as in "I stayed in Tokyo the entire month." I would like to know the following:
Which is more common in spoken Japanese? In written Japanese?
Is there a slight difference in ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
What's the difference between 合意 and 同意？
They both translate to agreement, but I can't quite figure out what the difference is. Based on the answer here, 合意 implies that there was some effort from both parties (e.g., negotiation, compromise) ...
4
votes
1answer
97 views
The difference between 解説 and 説明 (and 解釈)
How does one distinguish the three words? I checked several sites.
First, I checked Weblio which told me that there's really a relationship among the three. Next, I checked HiNative links here and ...
3
votes
1answer
148 views
What's the difference: 楽観的 vs のんき
Both these words seem to mean "worry-free" or optimistic. A quick check on Weblio somehow validates this. How do these words differ in terms of nuance? のんき is also said to mean careless and other ...
0
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0answers
52 views
in this sentence what function does と take
here is the sentence i know と can have multiple functions
ごめんね 私さごめんね 人に合わせないと不安っていうか
0
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1answer
84 views
Difference between 料金に付く and 料金に入る
この料金には何が付いていますか
I would translate this as “What's included in this fee?”.
Given this, could I use 入る instead of 付く in the sentence?
What difference would using 入る or 付く make in this context ? ...
1
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2answers
134 views
What's the difference between 解凍（する） and 溶ける
I was studying some new words when I encountered 解凍 which can mean "melt". This reminded me of 溶ける. How do these words differ? In the case of ice melting, both can be used right? How about chocolate ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
(よ)うが～まいが / (よ)うと～まいと vs かどうか
I'm currently studying some N1 grammar, and I actually find it pretty hard getting a feel of the grammar patterns.
I saw this pattern in my Anki deck:
わたしは他人の話に耳を傾けたわけではないんですが、むこうはきかれていようがいまいが、...
1
vote
1answer
86 views
What is the difference between 時間 and 時期?
I understand that both can refer to time or a period of time, but I don't really get the difference. I've been told they aren't interchangeable, and that 時期 has a relation to seasons, but unless 時期 is ...
7
votes
2answers
907 views
What's the difference between 偏る and 傾く?
They can both translate as "to lean" but I think they're not interchangeable. Or are they? Take this sentence for example:
地震で塀が傾いた。
Can I use 偏る in this sentence?
7
votes
1answer
104 views
Nuance of もらう in 毎日使ってもらえるものがいい
I read this sentence in a listening exam script from a past paper and I was just wondering what purpose the てもらう serves here. The conversation is as follows;
M: 先生の誕生日に何かあげませんか。
F: いいですね。...
6
votes
1answer
424 views
整備 and 手入れ difference
I recently came across the term 手入れ and discovered it means maintenance. I know that 整備 also means maintenance so I was wondering what the difference is.
Feel free to use examples.
Thank you!
6
votes
1answer
149 views
Usage of した時 vs. している時?
I was reading a passage (from AIAIJ) and came across this sentence:
ベティーは、日本でホームステイをした時、スリッパの使い方になれるまで、ずいぶん時間がかかった。
I was wondering why した時 is used. To me, this gives me the nuance of "After Betty ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Reading comprehension questions: の + verb construction; clipped sentences; and 言葉のあや
Today I read this article: 吉村知事が西村氏とのバトル終戦宣言、絆深まった
While I'm happy that the governor and minister have patched up their misunderstanding, there were some things that I did not understand:
の + verb ...
4
votes
2answers
195 views
Using 「呟く」 while speaking with someone else
Following Mindful suggestion here, I'm opening this question following that one: in there, Mindful explained that the main difference between 「つぶやく」 and 「ささやく」 is that, I quote:
you want 囁く when you ...
2
votes
2answers
123 views
What is the difference between「下げる」 and 「下ろす」?
I know both involve lowering something from a higher position to a lower one, but what is the difference in connotation? I know that when おろす is written as 降ろす it has some other meanings, but when ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
How do などという/なんて differ from とか/など?
I'm currently studying などという and なんて. I have seen that they ESSENTIALLY mean (things/people/etc. like~). However this confuses me with what's the difference between these and just とか?
As in a ...
1
vote
1answer
279 views
Is there a difference between 生出 and 生産？
I checked the definitions in here for 生産 and 生出 and there appears to be a huge overlap between the two words. That said, what is the major difference between these two?
1
vote
1answer
79 views
What is the difference between 末 and 終了?
I know that both 末{すえ} and 終了{しゅうりょう} mean "end," but is there a difference between them?
2
votes
1answer
107 views
How does this Japanese sentence differ from this “official” English translation (ついでに体も繋がっちゃう)?
I've been reading a visual novel in English because I'm not in any position to even think about reading one in Japanese yet, but at the same time despite being firmly at the starting blocks of any ...
2
votes
1answer
118 views
What's the difference between 取り消す vs 取り下げる?
I was adding sample sentences to my flash cards when I noticed that 取り消す means withdraw.
前言を取り消す
withdraw [retract] one's statement
This reminded of a sample sentence for 取り下げる
告訴を取り下げる
...
6
votes
1answer
118 views
Confusions on usage of the past tense ていた and た to express an ongoing actions and states (namely, 'has/has been' doing something):
So, as far as I'm aware, the ていた ending can have these meanings depending on verb used:
a past continuous action and works pretty similarly to English:
(彼女がシャワーを浴びている間僕は勉強していた。）
a past state:
(...
6
votes
2answers
600 views
Why add 時点 to a (year / month / day) date?
In a document about a new business service, I noticed that 時点 was suddenly added to a date. Here is the context:
2000年10月にAAAサービスを開始した。
2001年2月19日時点で、2500万人のユーザーと、194万箇所の加盟店をもつ。
時点 is not needed,...
2
votes
1answer
134 views
Is 会いたくなる one way to say “I miss you?” [連絡とったら、会いたくなるやん] What is the nuanced meaning of 会いたくなる in this context?
I know that there is no direct translation for "I miss you" in Japanese. I am wondering if the nuanced understanding of 連絡とったら、会いたくなる indicates that it is too painful to contact because it leads to ...
2
votes
2answers
129 views
What's the difference between 愚痴 and 文句 (and 悪口）
I was doing my routine Anki review when I saw 愚痴 listed under common words containing 愚. This got me asking: what is the difference between 愚痴 and 文句？ I browsed the internet and found these two links:
...
2
votes
1answer
142 views
I'm half and a Japanese man said to me: 「ハーフ憧れる」What does it mean?
I understand that 憧れる is "to respect, long to be like." Are there such connotations associated with being "half" in Japan?
0
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0answers
64 views
Meaning of ~ようかな between “I wonder if I should…” and “I guess I'll…”
As fair as I'm aware and have read in grammar dictionaries, ~ようかな can take both meanings of "I wonder if I should...." and "I guess I'll....". Obviously, there is a big difference between the two as ...
0
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0answers
57 views
Expressing “now” in Japanese in terms of Changes (もう vs 今 vs なった)
Something I've always had trouble in Japanese is expressing "now" in terms of a change. Japanese appears to make a distinction between 今 and もう (なった could also express now?). What I mean by this is 今 ...
1
vote
3answers
135 views
What is the difference between なっている vs なった。
What exactly is the differences between these two? To me, they both describe a change and would translate to "has become" in English.
I haven't been able to find any sources of questions about this ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
てきた in terms of aspect?
First off sorry to make another post on てくる, but I am really having troubles understanding this construction. I have consulted various resources and have read other similar questions on this website ...
1
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0answers
20 views
What is the difference between 〜にできる and 〜ができる [duplicate]
For instance:
僕ができること
vs
僕にできること
I would translate the both as "something that I can do." Is this correct or is there a more subtle nuance?
3
votes
0answers
52 views
In the song title「ハレ晴レユカイ」(Hare Hare Yukai), why is the second ハ written as a kanji but not the first? [duplicate]
This song title is translated as Sunny Sunny Happiness in English, so it seems that both "hare" are supposed to have the same meaning, and yet they're not written in the same way. Is this a play on ...
5
votes
1answer
104 views
What's the difference between 意向 ｖｓ 意思?
I encountered this sample sentence:
佐藤さんは市長選挙に立候補する意向を固めたようだ。
The app I was using simply translated 意向 as "intention" which led me to ask: how does it differ from 意思? And how do the component ...
2
votes
2answers
74 views
What is the difference between 賢明 and 聡明?
Both of these words seem to mean "wise, sensible, sagacious". What is the difference between them?
I guess the difference actually mainly comes down to: what is the difference between the kanji 賢 ...
6
votes
2answers
400 views
Reason for 風が強い vs. 雨だ or 雪だ
Just wondering how nouns like 雨 or 雪 can be used alone to mean 'rainy (weather)' or 'snowy (weather)' respectively, when they already can mean rain or snow, but 風 cannot be used in the same sense to ...
