Questions tagged [nuances]
ニュアンス. Subtle differences between two seemingly interchangeable expressions.
1,093
questions
2
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53 views
Nuances and context of linking without 〜て / dropped 「て」in linked constructions
(Taken from ジョジョの奇妙な冒険６部: When Jotaro talks to Jolyne about who got her into prison.../ for those who do not know the series: The persons speaking to each other are father and daughter but have a ...
4
votes
3answers
230 views
How to translate わからない in the following sentence
Context: a boxer named Yanagi is fighting against an opponent named Hyodo. Although Hyodo is really young, he is considered a very talented boxer and is often called genius (天才). Yanagi is thinking ...
4
votes
2answers
114 views
Disambiguation of 大抵
I am having problems with when to understand 大抵 as:
a) 事柄のあらまし。だいたいのようす。また、全体のうちの大部分。おおよそ。おおかた。(https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/大抵/#jn-133918) (or as defined in Apple's dictionary) 全体の中の大部分のもの。...
5
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0answers
139 views
Difference between 「～てからでないと」and 「～ないことには」
Both of these grammar can be translated to English as
A～てからでないと/～ないことにはB = Unless A is done, cannot do B
From what I can find,
～てからでないと stresses the order or sequence of actions, that until A is ...
0
votes
2answers
138 views
What is the difference between these 2 expressions?
Whose car is it?
A: Kuruma wa dare no desu ka?
B: Dare no kuruma desu ka?
I'm just a beginner but I'm sure these two expressions mean the same thing.
viz. Whose car is it?
I feel that A is more ...
2
votes
0answers
95 views
Usage of 上で in this sentence
There is a question in the Kanzen Master N2 Textbook:
この薬は、_____上でお飲みください
a. 食事が終わった
b. 医師が説明した
c. 説明書をよく読んだ
According to the answer sheet, the answer is c.
But I don't understand ...
0
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3answers
199 views
The redundance of 経緯
The following is from this article.
関電は日本の原子力事業の旗振り役となってきた経緯があり、この問題がもたらす影響は計り知れない。
I am not sure what value となってきた経緯があり brings to this sentence. Is it simply a more formal or poetic alternative ...
5
votes
1answer
132 views
What is the difference between ながら and のに for expressing “despite”/“although”?
Both grammar points seem to express similar sentiments. But I had a practice question today which said
友だちは授業の教室が変わったと（ ）、教えてくれませんでした。
with two choices being 知りながら and 知るのに.
Both choices seem to ...
2
votes
2answers
73 views
Special meaning of 洋彫り vs (入れ墨 and タトゥー)?
洋彫り、 入れ墨、 タトゥー are 3 different ways to say "tattoo" with different nuance. I understand the specialness of 入れ墨 to Japanese history and culture.
Because of the katakana, of course "タトゥー" means the ...
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0answers
22 views
…がいい…のいい difference? [duplicate]
I have been stumbling upon phrases like
「頭のいい人」
「頭がいい人」
Or in relation to my other question
「都合の悪いところ」
「都合の悪いところ」
Are there any differences in meaning/nuance?
And extending on 「のいい」while I am ...
6
votes
1answer
164 views
The usage of あげく
My current understanding of the grammar あげく is based on this common explanation I gathered online:
spending considerable time and effort doing an action, resulting in an outcome
X + あげくY = “after ...
8
votes
1answer
641 views
What is the purpose of the redundant “いい人” in this example sentence
A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar has this example sentence:
あの人はいい人はいい人だったけれど頑固だったね。
"He was indeed a good person, but he was stubborn, wasn't he?"
What is the purpose of the "いい人は"? It ...
3
votes
1answer
108 views
事に感ず and Shigin vocabulary
I recently heard of the poem named Koto ni Kanzu, and I came across this page that provides the poem's text, along with a pretty convincing interpretation.
The poems reads as follows (I only added the ...
7
votes
2answers
238 views
The translation for 思い切った
あいつ にしちゃ 思い切った な。
I had a hard time to translate this short sentence. And after I looked around from many sources, I found these clues.
思い切った
普通では考えられないような。おどろくほど大胆な。 「 －処置を取る」
source: ...
0
votes
1answer
88 views
Difference between 僕等 and 僕ら?
It’s in an amazarashi song. When he sings, he says 僕ら but if when I look at the lyrics it says 僕等. Is there a difference in these?
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0answers
63 views
What is the difference in connotation between できれば and できたら?
Is できれば more polite? Is one more often used when describing favors?
Also could you please provide some examples?
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Is 「食品」 a shorter synonym of「食料品」or there is a difference in meaning between both words?
I found an excellent Q&A addressing the differences between 食料 and 食品. However, I don't know how the word 食料品 relates to 食料 and 食料品. I guess that 食品 is just a short form for 食料品, just as 警官 is a ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
What is the difference between these sentences?
I was trying to write "Half of the population will die" in Google Translate. I wrote：
「人口の半分は死にます。」
But Google decided this was better:
「人口の半分が死亡します。」
Are these just different ways to write the ...
1
vote
2answers
186 views
Meaning of もったいぶらず in the following sentence
Context: while talking about himself, a boxer says:
今持ってるモノはもったいぶらず全て出す。それが俺の武器に繋がるんでねェ。拳に表れるんだよォ ――――[生き方]【スタイル】ってヤツは。
According to dictionaries, the meaning of もったいぶらない is unpretentious, modest. ...
3
votes
3answers
151 views
Difference between 絶滅, 消滅 and 滅ぶ
My vocabulary textbook lists the three following words:
滅び行く種族
Endangered species
種族の絶滅
The extinction of species
消滅した種族
Extinguished species
(Hope the English ...
3
votes
1answer
103 views
Difference between ~によって and ~を通じて (through, by means of)
It seems that both ~によって and ~を通じて (sometimes ~を通して) can be used to mean "through", "by means of", "via". Both seem moderately but not very formal.
Are there any differences in nuance that dictate ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
~てからでなければ vs ～なければ
I'm learning the ～てからでなければ... grammar pattern, which my textbook defines as:
Until/unless ~ happens or is done, ... cannot happen or be done either. Used in negating or negative statements.
One of ...
4
votes
1answer
152 views
Research on かのように, and other よう constructs
I wanted to learn more about よう constructs, in particular the かのよう(な)(に) and かのようだ constructs, so I did some research. The following is what I've found so far.
よう - a noun that can turn into a ...
6
votes
2answers
243 views
Most natural way to use the negative with つもり
Which is more natural to say in Japanese? Do they have slightly different connotations?
食べないつもりです。 (I intend not to eat.)
食べるつもりはないです。 (I do not intend to eat.)
Also, are those translations fairly ...
0
votes
0answers
40 views
〜たことある/ない vs 〜たことあった/なかった
I see these as example sentences on sites, and I cant figure out the nuances between both. When would you use the past form of this phrase?
3
votes
1answer
106 views
What is the difference between ending a question with んだ？and の？
I thought の when used in questions is for when you’re asking for an explanation or to have a curious tone, but んだ is also for explanation and I’ve seen both used to end questions so what are the ...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
左に曲がる/右に曲がる v/s 左折/右折
That's it, essentially. What differentiates these two ways to indicate a turn?
So far, I had only heard 左に曲がる/右に曲がる, but recently I heard 左折/右折 in the GPS of a car. At first I thought that the latter ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Meaning of だけはわからない
それでも彼には、自分のことだけはわからない。
I'm translating the above sentence from Japanese to English, and I'm having issues with understanding what だけはわからない means.
Why does だけ come before は?
says that だけは means 'at ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
Why do I need to use のに instead of ので？
食べてばかりいるので、なんで太いじゃないだろう？？
I was told for this sentence I should use のに instead of ので. Why is のに better here? It seems like it changes the meaning from “so/since” to “even though”.
I wanted to say “...
2
votes
0answers
56 views
What is the difference between ある日 and ある日のこと?
For example:
ある日のこと、たろうは、また海へ出て。
As I understand ある日 means "one day". What does the のこと do to it?
Possibly related? What is the こと in sentences such as あなたのことが好きだ? and What is “koto” used for?
11
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1answer
1k views
Is there a difference between 「目を覚ます」 and 「目覚める」
I just recently learned these phrases were a thing and I can't find the difference anywhere online.
Is there a difference between 「目を覚ます」 and 「目覚める」 ?
Any help would be appreciated!
3
votes
0answers
92 views
Expressing “huh” tag?
How would you express this type of tag?
For example:
Lovers, huh? That’s what you think they are?
Would って work?
恋人って？そうと思う？
1
vote
1answer
88 views
Difference between 〜がち and 〜つい？
If both can express habits like things you tend to do, what is the difference between their uses?
examples:
イケメン*が通るとつい見ちゃう。
昔の話をしていると話がついつい長くなる。
Why was つい used here? Would 〜がち also make ...
0
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1answer
93 views
Casual ways to ask meaning?
I know 〜はどう言う意味ですか？ but how might you ask this question in a casual setting among friends?
6
votes
1answer
137 views
Difference between だけに and だけあって [duplicate]
Once again, while doing exercises, I came across a sentence that bugged me:
直子は７歳のときに家出したが、聡明な_____、見つかることなく10日間もひとりで生きていた。
A. だけあって、B. だけに、C. だけ、D. だけは
The solution to the exercise was A, ...
5
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2answers
147 views
Why the specific spelling “一つひとつ”?
I'm reading a book and the author keeps using the spelling "一つひとつ" for "one-by-one". I found this a bit curious: The word itself is just a doubled 一つ, so why not spell both parts the same? Does ...
2
votes
0answers
118 views
Clarification of objects using questions
When I want to ask whether or not something I have is what I think it is, I can't figure out exactly what to say.
これは梅じゃないの? (Rising intonation)
Is this not a plum?
これは梅じゃないね。(Falling ...
3
votes
1answer
136 views
Usage of にしてみれば
どうか自分の幻想でありますように...幻想など決して認めないダーズリ氏にしてみれば、こんな願いを持つのは生まれてはじめてだった。
Please let it be my imagination... For Mr Dursley who didn't hold with things like imagination, this was the first time in his life ...
1
vote
2answers
184 views
Is there a Japanese word for the game “horseshoes?”
I'm guessing this will come across as two questions, but their interrelation is important...
Is there a specific word for the game where you toss a horseshoe at a peg (in English just called ...
2
votes
1answer
109 views
What's the difference between 初心者, 入門者 and 初級者
I see 初級 Written mostly in books which mean beginner or elementary level, the other two were written on the same page for a drawing course i fould online as "入門者向け" and "初心者向け", but i don't see any ...
0
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1answer
115 views
努める and 努むる nuance differences
What is the difference in nuance between 完成に努{つと}めるand 完成に努{つとむ}むる?
I heard 努むる{つとむむる} and it threw me as I had never heard it before.
5
votes
2answers
481 views
Is this phrase a grammatically correct translation?
I'm trying to translate the following English into Japanese:
"The only thing more troubling than the silence were the whispers that followed."
What I've come up with is:
沈黙{ちんもく｝より悩｛なや｝ましいのは継｛つ｝...
1
vote
1answer
81 views
Difference between the words kakemono and kakejiku
Does anyone reading this site know of any nuance(s) differentiating these two words? Numerous online sites say that kakejiku is more commonly used, but I have found no information about whether the ...
3
votes
1answer
495 views
Why are Japanese translated subtitles non-conversational?
I guess this question brushes along the lines of why "real Japanese" can't be learnt from drama/アニメ. I was watching the Dark Knight (2008) with Japanese subtitles and I noticed that the translations ...
4
votes
2answers
185 views
Meaning of かわいい When Used By Kids Towards Adults
Okay, I'm fairly advanced in my Japanese studies after having lived and taught in Japan for almost a year. However, one thing that continues to boggle me is the possibly most common word of all: かわいい。
...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
What's the meaning and nuance of ばっかり in this sentence?
A girl is worried and upset because she believes she is more excited and happy about the relationship with her boyfriend than he is. So she says:
わたしばっかり浮かれてる気がする……
I think the sentence means ...
8
votes
1answer
152 views
What's the difference between 役割 and 役回り?
Weblio gives both the meaning of role or part (duty is there too as a less used meaning), so I assume the difference is on the nuances.
In addition, 役割 seems to be much more used by Japanese natives ...
5
votes
2answers
115 views
Different nuances of そっか and なるほど？
I’ve learned that both mean something like “I see” or “I understand” but are they interchangeable? Is there any difference?
8
votes
1answer
319 views
What's the difference between 反面 and 一方？
I understand that they both present two opposite sides of a situation or of something. However, even if in some cases they can be interchangeable, there are other where they cannot. Can somebody ...
7
votes
2answers
270 views
と vs. のを / ことを when used with 信じる
Take the following sentences:
いつか願いが叶うと信じている。
いつか願いが叶うのを信じている。/ いつか願いが叶うことを信じている。
I know what they mean, but I don't know if there is a practical difference between the two versions. More ...
