Questions tagged [nuances]
ニュアンス. Subtle differences between two seemingly interchangeable expressions.
1,320
questions
2
votes
1answer
55 views
How do I colloquially say "The restaurant was empty" in Japanese
More specifically I want to know the difference between 空（す）いていました and 空（そら）でした
For example, which one of these is better / what is the difference?
レストランは空いていました。
レストランは空でした
Is there an even better ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
Difference between Verb (ない stem)+ ずに and Verb (ない form) + で 2nd action
Even after looking at example sentences, I can't seem to figure out the difference between the two. They both seem to mean "without doing ~". I gathered that ずに is a written form, but I've ...
5
votes
1answer
462 views
Who can we talk about when using 「そのスジの人」?
The sentence is taken from Volume No. 5 of「 波よ聞いてくれ！」
The radio-host Minare is interviewing the spokeswoman of an underground cult. When she introduces her as a member of a cult the spokeswoman claims ...
0
votes
1answer
87 views
Is there a difference in nuance when using the particle を instead of が in passive sentences? [closed]
I was reading a Japanese text and came across this sentence:
つまり、父さんの死を、悲しむこともできない。わかちあう事ができない。そんな事実をつきつけられて。
Is there any extra nuance in that "そんな事実をつきつけられて"?. Also, I'm confused on ...
1
vote
1answer
31 views
Is there any difference between わけにはいかない、～てはいけない and ～てはならない？
From what I understand, they all mean the same, but maybe the nuance is different or it could be something else.
2
votes
0answers
44 views
How does 見ての work here? [duplicate]
I found this sentence and I don't know how the grammar works here:
俺たちを見ての反応。
Why is the verb in its て form? and is it different from saying "俺たちを見た反応"?
2
votes
2answers
580 views
Usage of 受ける in 日本の大学を受けたいです。
A book I am studying has 日本の大学を受けたいです。translated as "I want to apply to a Japanese university."
Finding it a little confusing to nail down what sense of 受ける is being used here.
1
vote
1answer
100 views
The nuances between さて and さ/さあ
Is there any difference between the two? I think さて is more formal than さ/さあ, but is that true? And are there any other nuances?
3
votes
1answer
78 views
What’s the difference between 始まっている最中に and 始まろうとしているとき in this context?
I am currently studying for the JLPT N2, and I am confused about the answer for this particular practice question:
会議が（ ）リンさんが慌てて入ってきた。
I put 始まっている最中に as the answer, but my textbook tells me that ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
The nuances between といえば, というと and といったら
First, I know that they all can be used with the "speaking of" meaning, and that といえば can't be used with questions/confirmations while というと can.
My questions are as follows:
Are there any ...
4
votes
1answer
110 views
Why are these sentences involving 一部, 一部分, and 部分 ungrammatical?
I've been trying to figure out the differences between 一部, 一部分, and 部分 using GOO's thesaurus. It indicates that 部分 is used for one of several parts, while 一部 and 一部分 are for parts of a whole. And then ...
5
votes
1answer
498 views
How to properly use とまる/とめる/やむ/やめる/とどまる/とどめる/よす/さす
There are a lot of native Japanese verbs that use 止, namely 止まる{とまる}, 止める{とめる}, 止む{やむ}, 止める{やめる}, 止まる{とどまる}, 止める{とどめる}, 止す{よす}, and 止す{さす}.
There are many confusing parts about these words for a ...
2
votes
1answer
53 views
Meaning of か in ーだかわからない
I found this sentence:
その晩、夢を見た。いつの事だかわからない。けれども覚えのある光景があった
What is the meaning of that か in 「事だかわからない」？ Is it there to add a "uncertainty" nuance? or is it something else?
7
votes
1answer
1k views
Why is 会社へ行く仕方 ungrammatical/weird?
I was looking at the GOO thesaurus entry for 方法/仕方/手段, and in the comparison table, it indicates that 会社へ行く方法 and 会社へ行く手段 are grammatical, but 会社へ行く仕方 is not. Why is this?
Certainly, I understand that ...
0
votes
1answer
134 views
What is the difference between Jihen (事変) and Jiken (事件)?
I tried to look up and found some interesting stuff:
This book called Pacific War and the Importance of 'Magic' by Keiichiro Komatsu mentions that 事件 means an event and thus is adequately translated ...
1
vote
1answer
99 views
Meaning of つつ(も)?
How do I know if the meaning of つつ in a sentence is whether "while" or "although"? You infer it just because of the context? or is there any signals before/after that gives you the ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Different kanji variations for the same word with same readings but different meanings
The verb あく for example can be written as 開く 空く 明く with all of them being read the same way. In the dictionary they are all listed under the same item but looking at the translation you can see that ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
The meaning of もらう in this sentence
それは、気をつけてもらいたいな。
I'm not sure what 気をつけてもらいたい means here.
I think some parts are omitted but I can't seem to figure that out. I think the meaning is "I want you to be safe for me."
Is the ...
1
vote
1answer
161 views
Fun with synonyms - "dry up/wither/wilt/shrivel"
Please help me understand the differences in the following words meaning "dry up・out", "wither", "wilt", "shrivel":
[枯]{か}れる
[涸]{か}れる
[萎]{しお}れる
[萎]{しぼ}む
[萎]{しな}...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Why does this sentence use the negative present progressive of 経つ to talk about the past? [duplicate]
「卵やステーキを最後に食べてから2日しか経っていませんが、もう一度食べたいです！」
I think is means: "It's only been 2 days (only two days have passed) since I've eaten eggs and steak, but I want to eat it again!"
If I'm right, ...
2
votes
1answer
106 views
Fun with synonyms - "hand over/give/transfer"
Please help me understand the differences in the following words meaning "give up・over", "hand over", "transfer":
渡す
[寄越]{よ・こ}す
[譲]{ゆず}る
Here are some examples from my ...
2
votes
1answer
92 views
Nuance of 思い知らせてくれる?
What does the くれる add in this example? I know it's generally used for gratitude, but the nuance seem a little different here. Is it a sarcastic gratitude? I thought there was no sarcasm in Japanese.
3
votes
0answers
37 views
Word used backwards モノホン? [duplicate]
The word モノホン is simply 本物 but inversed and in katakana. The definition in the dictionary is the same. Is it an exception or it's a common pattern to reverse like that? Does it add a certain nuance?
1
vote
1answer
105 views
What is the meaning of てもらうためかい？
Can someone please tell me what てもらうためかい means in this sentence?
波打つ潮の流れに目を向けたのは 孤独の涙を流してもらうためかい？
I know that てもらう means "to have something done for you" and ため means "in order to&...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
Difference between 任せる and 任す?
Looking at the dictionary, both 任せる and 任す seem to have the same meaning and they're both transitive verbs, so I wonder if there is any difference between them. Is there any situation where one of ...
2
votes
1answer
728 views
Weird usage of てしまう
巨人は豆の木から落ちて死んでしまいました。
I've learned that てしまう is used for either complete or unintentional actions. In this example, they're using it with the verb 死ぬ (to die). I'm confused because I feel like none ...
0
votes
1answer
128 views
Is this a pun? (稀/希)
I'm reading a manga in which a character says, 「って稀！」 in response to another character doing something unusual. I understand that 稀 can be translated as "rare," "unusual," etc. ...
3
votes
2answers
286 views
どき vs じ when using 〜時 as suffix
I'm trying to figure out exactly when to read 時 as 〜どき or 〜じ, when used as a suffix, as in for example 空腹時, 食事時, as well as this sentence from a game I'm playing:
タウンメンバーの加入時に最大HP+20%
大辞林 defines とき（...
0
votes
1answer
188 views
Differences between words meaning "everybody" (誰も 全員 各位 各自 万人 人々 面々 皆 )
While learning new vocabulary, I began to notice that there are many vocabulary that more or less all mean "everybody/everyone". Here is the list:
誰も 全員 各位 各自 万人 人々 面々 皆
I'm pretty sure ...
3
votes
1answer
139 views
Difference between 監督 and 管理 for "to control"?
So I think both 監督（かんとく）and 管理（かんり）are different from 経営（けいえい）in that 経営 refers to managing a business. However the word "control" can be used for many things in English:
To have control ...
2
votes
1answer
102 views
Can you use ないで and ずに for expressing reasons?
Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar (DoBJG) said that both ないで and なくて is used to express the idea that a negative statement is a reason for another statement. To paraphrase,
II. ないで can be replaced ...
4
votes
1answer
165 views
Word Usage: ほがらかな vs 人懐っこい
I am doing some JLPT prep, and I'm struggling with the differences between ほがらかな and 人懐っこい。
私は、誰にでも抱っこされる（ ）赤ちゃんだったらしい。
A「ほがらかな」 B「人懐っこい」
The given correct answer is 人懐っこい which I can understand as ...
2
votes
2answers
119 views
What is the nuance of「前まで」?
First sentence from this NHK news article,
東京都が、警察と消防の職員に行うワクチン接種は、会場の築地市場の跡地がオリンピック・パラリンピックの輸送車両の拠点となっていることから、大会の準備が本格化する前までしか使えず、1回目の接種を受けた全員が、この場所で2回目を受けられないことが分かりました。
I don't fully understand ...
4
votes
1answer
86 views
About 大事の前の小事 proverb
I came across the following expression
大事の前の小事
jisho.org says the following about it
don't put the trivial ahead of the important; don't sweat the small stuff; don't bother with the details (before ...
2
votes
1answer
122 views
Is で here has the same function as によって?
After a coffee store owner served coffee to his customers, he started with this line
いいか? 豆っていうのは産地で全く味も違うし、挽き方で味も変わってくるんだ...
to show off his knowledge about coffee beans.
I'm not sure what kind で ...
3
votes
1answer
98 views
About the forms in 包みをといて拡げられていた
There are several things i don't understand in the following
テーブルの上には布地の見本が包みをといて拡げられていたが
Translated by
Above the table, on which an unpacked collection of sample cloth goods was spread out
For ...
2
votes
0answers
79 views
What does だなんて mean? [duplicate]
I came across with the next sentence:
「そんな呼び方をして、馴れ馴れしくはありませんか？」
「そんな、馴れ馴れしいだなんて」
Why is there a だ with a いadj? And what is the meaning or nuance of that だなんて?
2
votes
1answer
130 views
Why are these sentences with conditional forms not correct?
I'm struggling a lot with the use of conditional forms, especially using ～たら and ～なら. I recently had the following sentences corrected by my Japanese teacher:
a. 専門書を買ったら、私にも見せてください。
b. 専門書を買うなら、...
4
votes
2answers
694 views
What is 何の doing in this sentence? (「何の躊躇いもなく」)
何の[躊躇]{ためら}いもなく答える人になりたい。
I don't understand what function 何の is serving here. Is this just nuance? How much does the sentence's meaning change if it weren't there?
2
votes
2answers
69 views
Same sentence, different use of conditional
Are both of the following sentences correct?
a. 明日授業に出たら、予習したほうがいいですよ。
b. 明日授業に出るのなら、予習したほうがいいですよ。
I feel like (a) does not sound good, but I cannot say why.
3
votes
2answers
103 views
Specific textbook example sentence on V(ます)+そう vs. V(普通)+よう
お金を拾いました。今日は何かいいこと（ あるようです / ありそうです ）。
We got into a bit of a dilemma over this in class. Which one do you guys think is right in this case?
EDIT: We actually went over the questions in class, and ...
1
vote
2answers
181 views
Does 泣いている describe a continuous action or a state after a change has taken place?
Intransitive verbs describe a change that people/things undergo from my understanding and do not take a direct object. I've also read that the te-form of intransitive verbs with いる describe a state ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
What does it mean when someone refers to themselves as この + name?
When watching taiga dramas, I have noticed that people often talk about themselves in the third person. Also, they say kono before their name.
Example, "kono Musashi will fight them".
I'm a ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Usage of は in these sentences
I am learning the lyrics to the song "Last Summer Whisper" by 杏里. I came across these lines:
Baby, love again 二人の愛はもどりはしないけど
Baby, love again せめてあなたをにくみたくはないの
What is the usage of the は ...
1
vote
1answer
92 views
What does きた do in this sentence
What is the difference between
中学生になってもずっとボーッと生きてきたけど
中学生になってもずっとボーッと生きたけど
What does きた do in this sentence this is from the second episode of the anime K-On! the character is telling a story about ...
2
votes
1answer
77 views
Understanding どう転んでもいいように高校だけは出ておきなさい
Dad tells his son who is in high school this phrase
どう転んでもいいように高校だけは出ておきなさい
I have difficulty comprehending the whole meaning of this phrase.
どう転んでも is some kind of idiom meaning "no matter how ...
2
votes
1answer
132 views
Difference between 構いません and 構わない
I've heard the following exchange between two characters, where B agrees to do something dangerous that she previously was dead-set against but chooses to do so now of her own volition:
A:「いいんですね？」
B:...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
What is the most natural way to tell others that I learned something from someone else?
I made up a few example sentences, and showed them to some native-Japanese speakers, which helped a lot, but there were somethings that I was not able to get answered, so I was wonder if someone here ...
1
vote
2answers
88 views
Help understanding 全然そうはいかなかった
I am triing to understand how the following sentence
全然そうはいかなかった
Could translate into
But this was entirely impractical
It's part of Metamorphosis (Kafka). The narrator wakes up transformed into a ...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
What is the difference between 「と」and 「時／とき」? Are they interchangeable?
From what I've seen, when 「と」or「時／とき」are used to express "when", they seem to be interchangeable, and I can't seem to find any differences between them. I've looked at other questions that ...