Questions tagged [nuances]
ニュアンス. Subtle differences between two seemingly interchangeable expressions.
5
votes
1answer
101 views
Is there any clear distinction in Japanese for the words 拉致 and 誘拐?
I'm writing an essay about the North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens. In English literature I found that the concepts "abduction" and "kidnapping" are used interchangeably. I'm not familiar ...
5
votes
1answer
76 views
Any differences between 領収書 and 受領書?
First time asking a question here. I was curious if there is any relevant distinction between these two words that mean receipt: 領収書 and 受領書.
0
votes
0answers
57 views
How should I read constructions like “NPのそのNP”?
I encounter these sometimes, but I have a hard time understanding what they're trying to say. Just wandering if someone could explain what it means when you have a possessive noun construction behind ...
1
vote
0answers
90 views
なんてね interpretation
So we have the following situation. There is persons A, B and C. Long ago A and B were friends when according to A B suddenly betrayed her. Now A has been using C for a long while pretending to be a ...
3
votes
2answers
122 views
What is the difference between “みだらな格好” and “あられもない格好?”
I'm trying to figure out the difference in nuance between みだらな格好 and あられもない格好.
My dictionary tells me "みだらな" means "lewd"/"obscene"/"indecent", and あられもない means "unladylike", "immodest", these ...
4
votes
1answer
89 views
What is the difference between 適切、適当 and 適宜?
As the title says, I've been having some trouble with recognizing the difference between 適切、適当 and 適宜 as in dictionaries they are all translated to "appropriate, suitable".
According to this site
適当{...
1
vote
2answers
86 views
Do words differing only in the voicedness of consonants act as functionally homophonous?
In Japanese, there are some sound differences that clearly distinguish words from one another, such as falling on a different 行 or 段 on the 五十音 ([傘]{かさ} vs. [風]{かぜ} or [友]{とも} vs その); while other ...
-1
votes
1answer
96 views
大恋愛の末に結ばれるわけではないから、アバタもエクボということはありえなかった。先行するのは条件である。 [closed]
Could somebody please help me decipher the phrase above which I came across while reading 逃がした魚は大きかった。It’s about two people in relationship. I understand that the first sentence means something like “...
0
votes
1answer
105 views
あなたはそれでよいのです what/how does the でよい bit here work?
Context: Jobs are being appointed and one of the minions is given a simple job of wrecking some place. The minion exclaims how simple it is (not the smartest cookie) and then the job giver (the ...
4
votes
1answer
95 views
Difference Between かなり～ and 結構～ as Adverbs
Is there any difference in meaning between かなりうまい and 結構うまい? How about other usages?
15
votes
1answer
163 views
what's the difference between 話をする and 話す?
I'm trying to understand the nuances between 話をする and 話す. When is one used over the other?
I'm reviewing A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, and it has the following example sentence:
...
0
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0answers
94 views
Do I need to reply in this situation?
(In a game) I am a newbie(Lv29), and I saw B(lv100+) having filled his room's wall with numerous super-super-rare(SSR) posters, which can be only be earned with enormous effort. (I don't have any)
I ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views
When can I get away with implying the の possessive?
I was reading the bible in Japanese a bit and came across this bit of Jonah 1:
アミタイの子ヨナに、主から次のようなことばがありました。
Notice how the noun-phrase "Jonah son of Amittai" in the NIV became "アミタイの子ヨナ" in the ...
4
votes
2answers
150 views
What's the difference in nuance between multiple 形容詞 (い-adjectives) with and without て-form?
When multiple adjectives refer to the same noun, the adjective(s) other than the last one are usually written in the て-form:
① 大きくて重い本
However writing all adjectives in their い-form is not (...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Generic Japanese greeting new people?
The most commonly cited one is Konnichiwa, but knowing that is time specific, can it be used generically in all hours of the day as a "hello" instead of a specific "good afternoon"? Ohayou and ...
1
vote
1answer
86 views
Interpreting the meaning/nuance of a conversation
The following is less a question of grammar or language but more of understanding and context, because I feel like I'm maybe missing something. I have the following conversation/sequence of events. ...
5
votes
2answers
103 views
What's the difference between 母方 and 母系? The same question goes to 父方 and 父系
I saw these words a while ago but just now I decided to ask it here because I didn't find the answer anywhere.
As the title says, I don't really know if there is a difference between 母方【ははかた】 X 母系【...
5
votes
1answer
101 views
Different ways to say “member” (of an association/group etc)
I would like to ask about which is the most general/common way to say 'member' in Japanese when talking about a group, organization, association, etc. In particular, is there a word that is "always ok"...
3
votes
2answers
82 views
Various meanings of ダブる and its complexities in Japanese (多義詞 例子)
When I checked the JET vocabulary list JLPT lv2 last night, I found a word:
ダブる, my mind would refer this word as 'double' as in English.
However, the JET vocabulary list gives me a 'curious' ...
9
votes
2answers
258 views
Why 皮切り is labelled as a sensitive word in the dictionary?
When I studied Japanese this morning, I found this word 皮切り in my dictionary:
Example sentence:
それを皮切りとして欧州の詩や文学を多数紹介するようになりました。
Translation: With that as a start many European poems and much ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Is the use of 後で fading from usage in Japanese?
When first studying Japanese, I learned that "after" in Japanese is 後で. But asking around and looking at regular usage, a lot of Japanese will tell me a sentence like the following is slightly ...
8
votes
1answer
213 views
Saying “I have no need for 'that'” ('that = insert any phrase') in three different circumstances and in various degree of politeness
Situation1: My close friends offer me 'something' that of no use for me. So I want to reject it by saying 'I have no need for 'that'.
(Situation 1-1: I want to sound really rude to my close friend as ...
9
votes
2answers
111 views
Nuance of the structure “Verb (stem of negative form) + ざるを得ない” compared to “Verb + しかない”
I've browsed a bit throught the other posts and it seems like there is no clear explanation of the nuance of "V + ざるを得ない" compared to "V + しかない". Roughly speaking, they have the same meaning but is ...
2
votes
1answer
131 views
Difference between 何て言う意味、何て言うこと、どう言う意味 etc
When someone says something to me and I don't really understand the meaning, how can I respond?
What is the difference between:
何て言う意味ですか。
何て言うことですか。
どう言う意味ですか。
I might be wrong, I might mix ...
4
votes
1answer
76 views
Should I use と or たら in that case? [duplicate]
I've got a task in uni today to put either と or たら. And there's a sentence I can't comprehend:
箸で食べて（みると、みたら）どうですか。
I don't quite understand which form I have to use here, so it would be great if I ...
8
votes
1answer
182 views
About the coupling of ーてもらう and ーなさい
I often hear my old calligraphy teacher (and so far only her) use something like the following:
何々。。。書いてもらいなさい（？）
何々。。。やってもらいなさい（？）
and so on. The question mark in parenthesis indicates that, ...
3
votes
1answer
118 views
What is the difference between 不安 and ざわざわ
I saw that one of the definitions of ざわざわ (though it doesn't seem to be a common use from what I've seen, but I could be wrong) is restless, uneasy or anxious.
Here is the definition I found:
...
1
vote
1answer
111 views
Double AのようにBのように , does it mean the following
I have previously (fuller text is there) asked about this line, but not about this part.
The part I'm interested in is:
母のように娘のように大切にしていた相手
I think this basically means:
"Person/other side, A ...
1
vote
0answers
53 views
Difference between 防衛相, 防衛大臣 and 国防相
Reading a NHK NEWS article, I stumbled over three different expressions for minister of defence. Is there a difference between 防衛相, 防衛大臣 and 国防相?
3
votes
0answers
69 views
っつー at the end of a sentence [duplicate]
What does っつー at the end of sentence mean, I get that its a form of と言う/っていう, but still don't quite understand use of it. And it isn't quotation.
some of the sentence I came across using them
...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
〒の言い方は何ですか？ How is 〒 pronounced? [duplicate]
誰かに住所を言いたければどうやって郵便記号の文字を言いますか？
例えばこの郵便番号「〒153-0061」の言い方は「何々イチゴサンゼロゼロロクイチ」です。
6
votes
3answers
160 views
What's the difference between 豪華 and 贅沢?
While reading a scene about some people checking out the luxurious hot tub that is in their building, one of the character remarks:
ご、豪華すぎるほどじゃないが、何とも贅沢極まるというか。。。
which I understand as meaning ...
9
votes
3answers
205 views
The difference between へとへと and くたくた
I am studying Japanese オノマトペ and I came across two that are very similar. The definitions I found online, and the examples sentences in the book don't align, so I am confused about the 使い方。
On this ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
How can one determine the appropriate meaning of 伺う in formal speech?
Is it based on the particle connecting the object of the verb?
For example,
に/へ伺う
to go
vs
を伺う
to ask
Is it purely based on the context of the sentence for distinguishing between ...
2
votes
1answer
123 views
Examples of when to use ではありません、ではない、じゃありません、 じゃない
I'm looking for example situations of when to use each level of politeness. I know they all are the same but when situational wise to use each one is where I am having confusion. Thank you.
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votes
1answer
112 views
Can “suru” be also added to japanese verbs?
I thought that "suru" was used with english verbs to create japanese verbs
(ie ドライブする) or with japanese nouns to create japanese verbs
(ie denwa suru 電話する)
Can "suru" be also added to japanese ...
5
votes
2answers
121 views
What is the difference between 設問 and 質問?
The two words appear to both mean the English word question. Are they completely interchangeable?
2
votes
2answers
143 views
衰えるという言葉の由来は何ですか?
For instance, とじる and しめる.
とじる means an activity or a show has finished so "the door is closed". This word is used in ending or closing something like 傘をとじる, 本をとじる.
しめる means to tie the bag tight ...
5
votes
3answers
168 views
-ています / present continuous form not used in habitual action
I have read this sentence in my book :
山田{やまだ}さんは毎朝{まいあさ}６時{じ}に起きます{おきます}。
Why isn't the present continuous used (起きています) since it is obviously a habit for Yamada-san to wake up at 6 every morning?...
7
votes
1answer
93 views
I could use help with the finer nuances of 節、柄、and 様。
Why is it 節 that goes in __ in the following, not 様 or 柄？
部長は、毎日残業するのを当たり前だと思っている__がある。
This is a question in a textbook I'm using to prep for NI JLPT, and 節 is given as the answer.
3
votes
2answers
386 views
Differentiating between the many words for bullying, teasing and tormenting
In the course of my study I've come across several words which all seemed to have a high degree of overlap, in that they all essentially meant 'to tease, to bully, to torment'. If possible I'd like to ...
6
votes
2answers
306 views
What is the more natural way of saying: “I will be busy this Friday.”
I only know hiragana and katakana at this stage, so pardon the long sentence; I'm learning from the "Japanese From Zero!" books. In the book, the answer it gives for "I will be busy this Friday" is:
...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
What is the difference between 役割 & 業務タイトル?
Both of these terms are found in the same 職務経歴書.
After attempting to translate the terms used in an example,
I've come to the following hypothesis:
業務タイトル - Department in a company
役割 - One's ...
4
votes
1answer
89 views
Nuance of ないようにしないと and a potential relative clause
I have a following line from a manga
せめてお願いをする / あの子たち以外には
できるだけ迷惑をかけないようにしないと
which of course means punctuation is lacking, hence / to indicate where a line break was, which might indicate ...
2
votes
0answers
54 views
Contradictory Usage of だろう・でしょう [duplicate]
I continue seeing sentences that (based on my knowledge) seem to contain conflicting usages of だろう・でしょう.
「妻はルイヴィトンのバッグを欲しがっているんだけど、そんなもん、買えるわけないでしょう！ 」
To my understanding わけがない is an expression ...
3
votes
2answers
72 views
Is a negative nuance possible with しっとり when used to describe moisture of an object?
じっとり always has a negative nuance to it when used, such as when describing perspiration.
しっとり has several meanings, but in this context it is used to describe the dampness of something.
An example ...
4
votes
2answers
231 views
What does it mean when someone says ”話を大きくしてる”
I know the literal meaning is "to make the conversation/talk larger" but in terms of nuance of actual meaning in English I am confused. How would you say this in English?
7
votes
3answers
210 views
Why is 温かい used instead of 熱い when ordering a hot drink?
In English, "warm" and "hot" are usually interchangeable when ordering a hot drink. In my experience, "hot" is more frequently used.
I was corrected with 温かいコーヒー when asking for an 熱いコーヒー so I ...
7
votes
1answer
83 views
What is the difference [一瞬]{いっ・しゅん}, [一刻]{いっ・こく}, and [(一)刹那]{(いっ・)せつ・な}
They all mean something like an instant or a moment.
When are they (and when are they not) interchangeable?
Is any more (in)formal/literary than the others?
Do they represent the same amount of time?
...
4
votes
1answer
91 views
Nuance when the subject is moved to the end of the phrase
I've been plugging away on novel translations for years now and figure I should ask more questions about it around here, since the freelance life does not make it easy to network with people.
My ...
