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.
1
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0answers
60 views
The different 害？ [duplicate]
What's the difference between 損害 and 被害. After reading sample sentences, these seem interchangeable?
2
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1answer
83 views
How to use 彼 and 彼女?
The first time I saw these two terms, they were used in a love context, to mean "boyfriend/girlfriend". Later, I came to know that you can also use these to refer to "that guy/girl".
So, what I ...
2
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0answers
32 views
Can どれ mean plain what/who without selection? [duplicate]
In a comic book (犬夜叉) I found a plain
どれ…
in a situation when a person sees that something bad happened. Somebody got injured and the spectator apparently asks, who could have possibly done this. ...
4
votes
2answers
111 views
Is there any difference between 速さand 速度?
From what I understood, both 速さ{はやさ} and 速度{そくど} means "speed". Some say that they are synonyms (just like speed and velocity in English), but I guess there is a nuance between them, isn't it ?
速さ{...
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1answer
81 views
When should I use どんどん and when should I use 速く?
Both are adverbs meaning "quickly", but what is the difference of use between them ?
4
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2answers
94 views
Use of から rather than に in 真っ昼間から
真っ昼間からふくろうが空を飛び交うのを、ダーズリー氏は見ないですんだが、...
Mr Dursley didn't see the owls flying around in broad daylight but ...
I don't understand why から is used in this sentence. What is the difference from ...
6
votes
2answers
125 views
What is the difference between はみ出す and はみ出る?
They are both intransitive:
シャツがズボンからはみ出していますよ。
Your shirt is coming out of your pants.
足が 線からはみ出ています。
Your foot is over the line.
1
vote
2answers
72 views
What's the exact meaning of とする in this sentence?
I'm trying to understand the construction もうろうとしてる in this line from Mob Psycho 100 Episode 12:
もうろうとしてるようだけど。
It's translated as "he looks like he's about to pass out"。
I found a usage of ...
3
votes
1answer
118 views
What is the difference between 旅する and 旅行する?
旅{たび}する and 旅行{りょこう}する both mean "to travel".
What is the difference between these verbs ?
2
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0answers
48 views
is there a hidden meaning to それとなく?
I got bumped in the term それとなく in these two sentences
1. だから今はそれとなく散々淡々と暮らしていて
2. 思い出して魚の眼 Oh Oh! それとなくキルミーして！Oh Oh!
Jisho said indirectly; obliquely, but feels like it is not fit well to the ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
What is the difference between 検事 and 検察官?
I found the same translation for 検察官 and 検事 : "public prosecutor". But I guess there is a reason for the two words to exist. Is one of them more formal ?
1
vote
1answer
108 views
Appropriate “No, I don't have” response to “お持ちでしょうか”
I'm regularly asked at shops/supermarkets with something like:
ポイントカードはお持ちでしょうか
My understanding is that the person is asking if I have a point card. I've also read What's the difference ...
0
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0answers
22 views
Difference between つま and おくさん [duplicate]
Going through my Genki textbook I noticed two words for wife. Where should I use each one
7
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1answer
97 views
は vs のほうが : when to use each one
In the Genki Workbook, it is asked to translate the sentence
"My computer is slower than yours."
I did so using the structure AのほうがBより~ and wrote
「私のパソコンのほうがあなたのより遅いです。」
However, in the answer ...
3
votes
1answer
120 views
How to say “I read the book again yesterday” in Japanese?
I read that また can mean "again", so could the phrase be written as:
昨日本また読んだ(？)
(I used a casual form because I was writing for a friend)
Please let me know if this phrase would be correct! Thank ...
3
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1answer
113 views
What are the differences between 芸術 (geijutsu) and 美術 (bijutsu)?
What are the differences between 芸術 (geijutsu) and 美術 (bijutsu)?
My native tongue has both of these Sino-Xenic terms too, although in it, the geijutsu-word is clearly "art form; art in general; the ...
0
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0answers
40 views
Japanese grammar question regarding そちら and あちら？ [duplicate]
I have just started learning the Japanese language and got stumbled upon the usage of these two words: そちら and あちら。I understand their meaning and how they are to be used, but the question that I have ...
5
votes
1answer
70 views
What is the difference between “をいかがですか” and “はいかがですか”?
I saw both are in use. What's the different here?
Based on knownledge from primary textbooks, "は" seems better.
6
votes
1answer
169 views
okay to use 男／女 as opposed to 男／女の人 to refer to yourself?
A friend of mine is practicing Japanese and created the sentence 私は女の人ではありません。私も男の人ではありません intending to say "I am not a woman, I am also not a man"
I offered to improve the sentence as 私は男でも女でもありません, ...
6
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0answers
69 views
How to wear clothes? [duplicate]
There are several Japanese verbs for 'to wear', depending on the kind of clothes. What if one wears several? What is 'wear' if 'I wear a shirt, pants, glasses and a hat'? Does one of かぶる, 着る, 履く and ...
3
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1answer
70 views
さむいのはきらい vs さむいがきらい
I always thought that with construcions I like/I hate I should use noun +が + adjective +です, for example: ねこがすきです。
But lately I have heard in some japanese podcast above sentence with that のは ...
1
vote
2answers
63 views
whats the difference between て言ってた vs ように言われた
I have learned recently that ように can be used for advice, command, ask and so on.
my question is, there is a difference between て言ってた and ように言われた?
for example, there is a difference between these two ...
4
votes
1answer
120 views
difference of 湿らす vs 潤す
湿らす and 潤す.
Both of them have the same meaning? what's the difference between them?
Thanks,
Or
8
votes
1answer
162 views
What is the difference between 中国人, 華人, 漢人, and 唐人?
I looked at the dictionary definitions of 中国人, 華人, 漢人, and 唐人, and it appears that all of them mean "Chinese person".
Questions:
What is the difference between them?
Why are there so many ways of ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
What is the difference between ~たい and ~ことを望む?
I have been trying to translate some English sentences into Japanese. I have been asking people on OKWAVE to translate these sentences. I am happy to say that the results have been mostly satisfactory....
5
votes
1answer
89 views
Difference between 尽くす and きれる
I know both 尽くす and きれる mean to do something fully/completely
eg(these are my own examples)
色々やり尽くす。(I have tried all the methods or I have exhausted all the methods.)
generally I have heard of
...
5
votes
1answer
109 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 ...
3
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1answer
83 views
What is the difference between 試合 and 競技?
They both mean 'game' or 'contest'. Are they interchangeable or is there a difference?
4
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1answer
104 views
What is the difference between 神社, お寺 and お宮?
All of them mean "shrine" or "temple", but what is the difference between all of them ?
0
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1answer
113 views
What is a diference between いく and あるく?
As I understand both means "walk". What is a difference here? I think that いく is more like "move" somewhere and あるく means literally walk. Is that right or something else?
2
votes
0answers
55 views
What is the difference between 文句 and 苦情? [duplicate]
They both mean 'complaint', but there is a slight difference between them, right? If someone could explain the difference and provide some example sentences it would be great.
5
votes
2answers
173 views
Appropriate word for “fellow”
I've been wondering how to appropriately say the phrase "My fellow members" lately and I've come up with the phrase 「僕の仲間のメンバーたち」but I feel like there's a more appropriate word for it.
Is there a ...
5
votes
1answer
159 views
How to politely and indirectly tell someone they forgot to do something?
Let's say someone who's above me, like a teacher or a boss, forgot to do something. How would I notify them without being rude?
I only know the basic "~するのを忘れました"(though I'm not even sure if that's ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
What is the difference between 隠す and 覆う?
It would be really nice if someone could explain the difference between these two words that both mean ´to hide´. Some example sentences that illustrate the difference would really help. :)
2
votes
1answer
119 views
How do I say this sentence informally?
この習慣は日本に特有のものです。
But if I were to ask a question, この習慣は日本に特有のものか would have a negative tone so what word do I use instead?
3
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3answers
173 views
2
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1answer
134 views
Can 風が強く also refer to disruptive behavior rather than a strong wind?
Im reading a comic and two guys are basically being noisy af, and messing around. Their friend walks in and says 君たち...今朝は風が強かったな.
I just assumed at first hes talking about the weather, but im ...
5
votes
1answer
154 views
What are the differences between 真ん中, 中心 and 中央?
Could someone please explain the differences in usage and meaning? It would be nice with some example sentences as well.
2
votes
0answers
53 views
Can you slightly switch up the word order of this sentence? [duplicate]
This is what I've been taught:
これ は わたし の 本 です。
= This is my book.
And I was just wondering whether you can change the word order to say:
この 本 は わたし の です。
...
9
votes
1answer
120 views
Difference between たっぷり and たくさん?
I understand that たっぷり and たくさん means "a lot" but how can you tell apart the right time to use one or another.
Please point me a couple of examples.
Thanks
まいど ありがと
5
votes
1answer
190 views
Which form of 終わる should I use here?
A : 会議は何時ごろ終わりますか？
B : もうしばらく____はずですが。
1.終わり 2.終わる 3.終わった 4.終わらない
I've been pondering why the answer has to be 4.
Can anyone explain it to me please?
6
votes
1answer
99 views
Saying “It's the principle of the matter”
How does one say "it's the principle of the thing", in particular for when giving feedback.
For example, it's not the 1$ over change but the principle of the matter.
(as in the one dollar doesn't ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views
Difference between 会う and 集まる
I don't know exactly the difference between those two?
What are the most commons use for those ones?
For example, what are the difference between these sentences?
友達に会った
友達に集まった
4
votes
2answers
62 views
そうです or そうでした for sentences that end with でしたか
山下先生のせんこうはれきしでしたか。
To answer the above sentence, would the sentences below be acceptable?
はい、そうでした。
はい、そうです。
Is 1 the only acceptable answer since the question is in past tense?
6
votes
2answers
134 views
Which is the difference between 詳しい and 細かい？
I would like to know which is the difference between 詳しい and 細かい？
When do I use each one?
Thank you so much in advance!
5
votes
2answers
140 views
How are「〇〇の中で」and「〇〇で」different?
日本語
そのチームのメンバーの中で誰が一番好き？
そのチームのメンバーで誰が一番好き？
上の文（の中？）で、どちらが正しいですか。論理的には「の中」を入れる方が無難だと思うのですけど、時々入っていない文も見る気がして、文脈からすると同じように解釈してもいいと思えるのですが、本当に同じですか。ではなければ、どこで違いますか。
よろしくお願いします。
English
...
3
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1answer
79 views
What is the difference between 派出所 and 交番?
I know that they both refer to some sort of police station but I don't know if they are interchangeable, if they mean the exact same thing,etc
4
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2answers
97 views
4
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1answer
68 views
Difference between 結ぶ and つなぐ
In the context of tying things, e.g. shoe laces, rope, neck tie etc, I think 結ぶ is the correct verb. In all these cases can I replace 結ぶ with つなぐ? Would it change the nuance?
I have a feeling that ...
5
votes
1answer
96 views
I need help with those sentences: 「～と思われる」「～ように思われる」
日本語を習う時はローマ字を使わない方が良いと思われる。
日本の将来の見込みは暗いように思われる。
彼は金持ちであるように思われる。
Why does the first one use と and the second and third one use ように?
