Questions tagged [word-choice]
使い分け. The differences between two or more words or phrases and how to select the best one for a given situation.
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Usage of the passive with を?
恋愛を抑圧された精神では自覚せず、けれど本能は理解していたから縋りついた…？）
Is を in this sentence being used like に or が?
"A love restrained by the mind"
or "A mind restrained by love"?
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How can I use the word 魅力的?
The range of translation for this word is charming, fascinating or attractive. These are very different words in English. I want to describe a small village as 'charming' and I think the word 魅力的 ...
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What is the difference between と見える、そうです、ようです
If I have to translate them I can use IT SEEMS.. for all of them.
Is there any difference or nuance between them to understand which one do I have to use when I want to say "It seems that....&...
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Difference between 失敬する and 盗む
フレッドとジョージがケーキやら何やら、キッチンから失敬してきたんだ。 (Harry Potter (book 1) Japanese TL)
Fred and George have stolen cake and what have you from the kitchen.
I'm wondering what nuance 失敬する provides over 盗む in this ...
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Difference between volitional form+と+おもいます and volitional form+と+おもっています [duplicate]
What's the difference between-
volitional form+と+おもいます and
volitional form+と+おもって います
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Difference between phrases for "absorbed in"/"infatuated in"/"indulge in"
I tried limiting this list to words I have heard in conversations and in media in colloquial contexts, although I am not sure they are all suitable for conversation. All these words I believe have to ...
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Differences between the many words for being "devoted to" something
Despite its length, this least is by no means exhaustive for describing the basic action of "devoting oneself", but I tried to gather words that I feel can be used very similarly. My ...
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What's the word おしきた?
What exactly is the world おしきた used here? The character propose to make a chat room for the first year and they all agree.
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Dividing months in ways beside 旬間
I know that there is a method of dividing the month in Japanese into 旬: 上旬、中旬、下旬. However, I also could've sworn that there was at least one, even two other ways to divide the month into sections. I ...
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Differentiating "funny" and "interesting"
When speaking, I tend to use the word 「面白い」to mean both funny things and interesting things, but there is often a need to distinguish between these two meanings, and I sort of struggle with that. ...
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から and んですが to make a request
I've been using Genki as the main reference and it said から could be used to explain the reason the speaker is asking the listener to do something:
時間がありませんから、急いでください。
掲示板に貼ってありますから、もう一度見てみてください。
...
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Difference between words for "abolish/repeal/do away with"
I have had a hard time distinguishing words I've found that can mean "abolish", because especially in the context of abolishing something like a political system some of them seem to have ...
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掃除機 vs. 集塵機 vs. 吸塵機
Which would be the difference between 掃除機, 集塵機 and 吸塵機 for saying "vacuum cleaner"?
I always use 掃除機, since it is the word I hear the most, but I'm interested in enriching my vocabulary, and ...
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Can だいじょうぶ(大丈夫) mean the same as だいじょうふ(大丈夫) in modern Japanese?
After the Japanese borrowed the word 丈夫 from Chinese, they seem to have changed its meaning at some point:
Chinese: heroic man > Japanese: heroic man > strong/healthy/self-assured/fearless/care-...
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具合 vs. 塩梅 for "condition/state"
塩梅, which can be used in terms of balance/degree of seasoning in cooking can also be used in the context of how a situation is going (like 調子), such as (from my dictionary):
►こういうあんばいで事が運べば if things ...
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What are the reasons to use the English "or" in Japanese texts?
Sometimes I encounter the English "or" used in texts written by Japanese natives, which seems a little odd from a foreigner's point of view. I mean it's true that the Japanese are known for ...
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Can 恋心 be platonic?
I think 恋 is for romantic love and not sure if in this 恋心 form it could be a general word for love of all people and not just romance
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What is the correct translation for 策定フレーズ? [closed]
Japanese Text:
現状の5Gを取り巻く動きとしては、5G用周波数の割当て後に関連サービスを展開する事業者による「セルラー5G」の取組みと、2019年に策定予定の3GPPによる5Gに関する詳細仕様の「策定フレーズ」の2本柱といえる。
My Issue:
I have translated "策定フレーズ" as "formulation phase"...
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What is 素か when used by itself
先輩のこと好きすぎて死にそう
The girl tells her boyfriend/senpai this after they kiss, etc
He hugs her and replies this to her:
これが素か...こっわ... (可愛すぎてびっくりした!)
What does 素 here exactly mean?
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What is 得な性格? How is it used in this sentence?
Context: The character's brother asked him to meet a person for him. The character is reluctant but in the end he comments his brother's 強引さ always makes him do stuff etc.
I can gather he's ...
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What does 丸めた here mean? (in describing how someone speaks)
彼特有の丸めた―目的を背後に隠して相手に好意を示す話し方は、めいは好きではない。
I don't quite get it.
"His characteristic... the way to show to the partner kindness while hiding his true motive. Mei didn't like it at all.
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キャリア? What definition is correct?
天道と伊波が地図を覗き込みながら協議している。様々なシチュエーションを想定しながら意見を述べるあたり、さすがのキャリアというべきか。
The character is watching his two colleagues discuss about the next plan for their mission...
I understand the sentence up to this ...
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Usage of 直でこない in this sentence?
The characters are talking about archery and they explain that unlike other sports, while you fight with other people, you are essentially more like fighting a battle with yourself.
In the top bubble ...
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What is this usage of 要員として?
「アッシーが車で送り迎えをしてくれる人、メッシーが食事をさせてくれる人。もちろんどっちも無償。プレゼント要員として、ミツグ君なんてのもあったな」
「現代で言うとパパ活みたいなものですか。便利ですね」
So the character explains two "dead words". He explains アッシー is someone who gets used for ...
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Is the use of 女の子 and 男の子 in the following meme problematic?
So in Vietnam, there's this meme that goes: "As long as you're (sexually) gratified, male or female won't matter." Someone has attempted to translate it into Japanese to something like this: ...
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How should I ask about the age of a colleague's young child?
Recapping the usual way that learners are taught expressions for asking someone's age: いくつですか is fine for kids, while お幾つですか has honorific function and is appropriate when your interlocutor is an ...
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Why and how 先に is used in this sentence?
そんな噂を耳にしたら幻滅するとかそれよりも先にもしかしたら友達位にはなれるかもなんて思ってしまった
I understand the sentence is akin "After hearing the rumor, rather than being disillusioned, I ended up thinking we could become friends"
...
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Does って have a conditional usage with verbs?
I was listening to a song (‘Found And Lost’ by Survive Said The Prophet) and the first lyric is:
「かかってこいよ」と叫んだってそう思っていない時もあってしまうんでしょ
I can understand the meaning of the sentence, however I’m a little ...
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What is this usage of 流れが?
Upon receive the latest war news about the fact their army has started to recapture several territories, the character makes this comment.
戦いってのは流れがあるから
I'm not sure how to take it? "Things ...
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Possibly NSFW? What is an 既成事実?
彼女たちは根掘り葉掘り俺の境遇を聞いてきた。そして俺の話を聞いた後で、みんな声をそろえて言ったよ。可哀想に、私が慰めてあげる....
そう言いながら近づいてきて、『既成事実』を作ろうとする奴らの多いこと多いこと
The character explains this, that he talks to girls about his family etc and the all consoled ...
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What is the nuance of 取らない in this sentence? What does it mean?
「つまり学園内で何かあったとしても、病院に運び込むつもりはない。全て学園内で処理すると最初から決まっていた故の設備の充実とも取れねぇか」
つまり学園内で何かあったとしても、病院に運び込むつもりはない
In the first part of the sentence, the character subscribes the theory that no matter what happens,...
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What does 方 + だけマシ mean?
……お前は、どうせあたしがどこにいたところで探しに来るんだろ!
えぇ……まあ
それならさっさと見つかってやった方が言いがかりつけられないだけマシだと思って同じ場所にいてやってるんだ
The convo is a back and fort. I don't quite understand the last part
I understand "思って同じ場所にいてやってるんだ&...
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遊星{ゆうせい} meaning planet?
In Yugioh 5D's, the protagonist's name is Yuusei (遊星). All Yugioh protagonists have Yuu (遊) in their name, because they're good at games (e.g. the first protag's name is 遊戯{ゆうぎ}, meaning games, and ...
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ないで欲しい or なくて欲しい?
I came across this sentence
来たばかりの人間を、普通に呼び出さないで欲しい
Which I believe means something like
I want you not to so naturally summon someone who's just arrived
Please correct me if I'm off.
What I don't ...
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confused about the usage of よう?
The sentence in question
彼に集中するよう注意を促しといたよ。
Meaning
I urged him to concentrate.
Confused as to what role the よう is playing here?
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What is the difference between とは限らない and とは言えない？
I don't understand the difference.
I mean, i get that one means "can't say that..." and the other "not necessarily..." but when I try to understand practical examples I confuse ...
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what is the difference between ごたえ and かい/がい
I've been wondering but, what are the differences in nuance between the grammar points ごたえ and かい/がい ?
examples:
見ごたえがある vs 見がいがある
聞きごたえがある vs 聞きがいがある
やりごたえがあった vs やったかいがある
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confused about て無かったら
In the sentence
一部しか残って無かったら意味ないし
Where the official translation is
Because its meaningless if a part is left
I don't understand how 無かったら isn't negating the 残ってる to mean "if a part is NOT ...
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How is the grammar working in いや、何かしないとな?
From what I've gathered. The sentence いや、何かしないとな means something like "No, I've got to do something" .
I cant quite understand how the grammar is working here to turn the negative suru verb ...
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How does 別にいいですよ mean "It doesn't matter" or "I don't mind"?
A bit confused about how the grammar here is working.
I came across this sentence "別にいいですよ、恋愛漫画読んでたって。"
Which I believe means something like "I don't care/mind, about you having read ...
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"掛ける" vs. "電話する"
What is the main difference between 掛ける and 電話する？ I went onto Jisho, it says 掛ける means "to make (a call)" as an Ichidan verb, but if I look on the Vocabulary page for Lesson 6 of Genki 1, it ...
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Usage of もんなんだ in this sentence? What kind of nuance does it give?
よく目にはするが人生を始めて浮かんだ言葉だ。
本当に浮かぶもんなんだ
What kind of nuance is もんなんだ giving in this sentence? The character is love stuck so in the previous page says "I want to become beautiful/attractive"
...
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「先生の専攻は英語ではありませんでした。」or 「先生の専攻は英語ませんでした。」?
I'm trying to find out the correct translation for "Teacher's major was not English." I'm currently learning the Past Tense of Verbs on Genki 1, and for past-negative, it says that "〜...
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Why using た途端 instead of 次第 in this example
This is a mini dialogue
A セミの声って、人によっては、うるさく感じるらしいね。
B そうかもしれないね。それにしても、8月になった途端、急にセミがなきはじめたね。
Assuming that both are translatable as 'As Soon As'. I understood た途端 was used when there was something ...
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Usage of 舟 in this context?
I'm a bit stumbled on why he's using 舟 here. 22のカラ舟が積み上げる is this a way of saying? If I had to guess it may be related to how much he can eat in the context? Give the other character is a 18舟
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今晩/今夜: "tonight" or "evening"?
I'm studying Japanese N5 through the Genki 1 textbook, and it shows that the word for tonight is "今晩,” but when I look at the Anki flashcard set that I'm also using to study, it shows that 今晩 ...
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Difference between 何かしますか and 何をしますか
Between 何かしますか and 何をしますか, which one is correct grammatically?
Which one do native Japanese people use?
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どうにも、どうにか、いかにも、どうか、どうもの中にパターンが潜在していますか？
いつも（どうにも、どうにか、いかにも、どうか、どうも）という種類の単語を聞いたり読んだりすると、パターンがいかにもあると感じます。
どう思われますか？
具体的に言えば私が話しているパターンは見かけ上共通の語源を持っていて1つの助詞を変えて1つ追加したり2つ追加したりすると意味が異なることを理解したいと思っています
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Do 果物/野菜 follow the scientific definition (e.g. an eggplant is a 果物), or the casual definition (e.g. an eggplant is a 野菜)?
In English, fruit and vegetable have actual scientific meanings, which make eggplant, tomato and zucchini fruits. However, most people just ignore the actual definition and like to just say those are ...
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