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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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....
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Is there any difference between じゃあない and じゃない?
これっ！ 石を投げるんじゃあないっ！
すいちゃったものはしかたがないじゃあないのっ！
I've been reading a light novel called Slayers, and I noticed something interesting: the author usually writes じゃあない and not じゃない. I'm curious if there ...
user1478
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What is the difference between 限る and 限定する?
I'm pretty sure that there's a lot more you can do with 限る than there is with 限定する, (When I looked up 限る, I saw a lot of different usages, such as it meaning "is the best," or "nothing is better than,"...
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という/っていう - a few of questions
I’ve scoured this website and elsewhere to get to the bottom of this and I think I’ve cracked most of all of the という usages and meanings. But I just have some few questions I hope you can help with.
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Verb Stem vs. の Nominalizations
I've been wondering about the difference between verb stem (e.g. 話) vs. の (e.g. 話すの) nominalizations.
From what I gather, they refer to different things. It seems the verb stems refer to the objects ...
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What is the difference, in usage, between native Japanese words and their Chinese derived counterparts?
I found some verbs that have Chinese derived counterparts. For example:
選ぶー選択する
死ぬー死亡する
取るー取得する
変えるー変更する
諦めるー放棄する
How are these words used differently? Are they interchangeable? I think the Chinese ...
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What are the differences between ~といわれている, ~とされている and ~と考えられている?
I understand that these verbs related to expressing a certain belief or viewpoint. I frequently confuse the three.
From what I can understand the meanings are:
~といわれている
Repeating or reporting on ...
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How does the pattern of ommiting の of のは work?
目指すは港の赤い塔
Sentence from the song "1/6 -out of the gravity".
残るは八人これでゲームは三分の一が終了した事になる
Sentence from episode 8 of "Mirai Nikki".
Is that something grammatically wrong that people ...
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です vs ありますwhat is the difference between the two? Can they ever be interchangeable?
Q: 日本語の授業は毎日ありますか。一日に何時間ですか。
A: 日本語の授業は毎日あります。一日に二時間あります。
I have questions about the difference between “です” and “あります” regarding the above sentences taken from my textbook. Why is that “です” was used ...
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What is the origin and meaning of the street names 一年坂, 二年坂 and 三年坂 in Higashiyama, Kyoto?
Obviously "1-year hill", etc., but what is the context of that?
And sometimes we see it spelled with 念 (nen) or 寧 (nei) instead of 年 (nen). Why is that, and which one would be correct?
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What is the difference between の中に and の中で?
I have two sentences having の中に (no naka ni) and の中で (no naka de), and I want to know if they are correctly framed.
If yes, then how does the meaning change?
日本{にほん}の食{た}べ物{もの}の中{なか}に寿司{すし}が大好{だいす}...
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Using に対して to express "for," "for the purpose of," or "for verbing"
日本語で一番難しいのは、一つのことに対してたくさんの言い方があることです。
Everything I can find on に対して says it means towards, against, regarding, in contrast to, etc.
In the above example sentence, it seems to mean something like &...
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Why can't により be used with "concrete, tangible objects"?
According to "A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar" p. 297, により/によって can be used as "a particle that indicates means"
その問題は話し合いに{よって/より}解決出来るはずだ。
We should be able to ...
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Units for stock indexes
When reading Japanese financial news, I found that different units were used for different stock indexes. For example, ドル／セント was used for Dow Jones Industrial Average, while ポイント was used for NASDAQ ...
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(よ)うが～まいが / (よ)うと～まいと vs かどうか
I'm currently studying some N1 grammar, and I actually find it pretty hard getting a feel of the grammar patterns.
I saw this pattern in my Anki deck:
わたしは他人の話に耳を傾けたわけではないんですが、むこうはきかれていようがいまいが、...
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What are the differences between うちに、間に、同時に, ながら & ついでに
These all generally mean whilst & during but I still (after ages of trying) make mistakes on where to use which one.
For anyone who knows the ins-and-outs of these grammar points, please explain ...
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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？
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Is there any difference between 「精々」 and 「たかだか」?
Like mentioned in the title, I would like to know if there are any subtle differences between 「精々」 and 「たかだか」.
As an example, are all these sentences grammatically correct? Is there any change in ...
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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 ...
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As sentence-ending feminine particles, what is the difference between の and わ?
So according to Denshi Jisho, it says the following on these two particles:
の: Indicates emotional emphasis.
わ: Indicates emotion or admiration.
Those definitions sound similar. But there must be a ...
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「いくらか」と「若干」の使い分けを教えていただけないでしょうか。
「いくらか」と「若干」の違いは何ですか。ただ「いくらか」は話し言葉で「若干」は書き言葉ですか。正しいですか。もし、正しかったら、他の違いがありますか。
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る form and おう form of verbs when used with と思う
What's the difference between these 2 sentences:
買ってくると思った
買ってこようと思った
Both of them translates to 'I thought that I'd go and buy'
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How to say 'techniques' (as in cooking)
So I need to write a short essay about an interesting experience I had for school and I decided to write about a cooking class I went to.
I'm trying to say
because I have been to a patisserie ...
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そういうの and そういうこと
When you use そういうの you are talking about "things/living things" but also about "topics", more abstract subjects right? like, doing some sports, or talking about "this"
...
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About the meaning of による (cause or dependency?)
I usually see による used as a way to express the cause of something:
震災によってたくさんの人の命が失われた。
There were many people who lost their lives due to the earthquake.
But in some places I see it being used as a ...
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What's the difference between 正しく, 正に, 正確に, 丁度, きちんと and ぴたり?
Which ones are interchangeable?
Also, what's the difference between their adjective version: 正しい, 正確な, きちんとする, ぴたりする? I don't know if the last two are correct.
Please, add similar adverbs and ...
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Difference between 作り出す and 生み出す・生む
Is this true?
作り出す physically create something and make out of something already exist
生み出す・生む metaphorically create something and make out of something from zero.
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Difference between に and へ particles
I am a beginner, and I do not really understand the difference between に and へ particles. My teacher told that they can be used interchangeably when it comes to indicating "direction" and &...
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形 at end of verbs
I know that 形 can be used as a suffix meaning shape that I understand but I don't seem to understand what it's used after a verb like in this sentence.
とりあえず こっちでやることを 絞り それを検討する形のほうが
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i wanted to name myself a Japanese name,(first-last) but i wanted to know if it was okay to do so
Can someone please answer my question somehow? I would like to respect and honor the means of Japanese people/culture. I did not want to name myself a Japanese name without permission from the ...
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Differences between ways to express obligation?
1) I know that, to express something that you must do, you can use 方{ほう}がいい and, for a stronger feeling, べき.
2) I am also aware you can use conditionals like 〜なくちゃ、〜なきゃ、〜ないと to express that you need ...
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Interpretation of にはな in this sentence
I know that based on the title it might sound a bit odd, but thing is, there's a video game I like and it only has an English dub and Japanese subtitles.
There's a line (which is spoken by a guy), ...
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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?
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Use of の vs か in questions
i’ve seen japanese speakers switch between both の and か in the same conversation or situation. are there certain phrases where it’s better to use one or the other? for example is の better to use with ...
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Is にとって often shortened to に in spoken, colloquial Japanese?
For example, 「昼ごはんに寄せ鍋を食べた」or 「私に(は)辛すぎる」, in both cases meaning "for".
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"I wish I could say…"
Just wondering how you would say "I wish I could say "I miss you""?
I was thinking it would be something along the lines of 「恋しい」語るできたらいいのに although I'm not sure. Thanks!
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自分自身らしくいてください (double checking the meaning)
I want to double check the meaning of the sentence above. I have the word(s) 自分自身 and I need to use it in a sentence that expresses the essence of "please be yourself." For context, the ...
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Usage of the word 技 (わざ) as well as similar words meaning "Technique"
I tend to hear this word a lot in anime, especially ones like Naruto. But there's little information on how it is used in conversation. According to Jisho, it means technique, art, skill and move with ...
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というのか vs というのですか
「精霊がアイドル......しかも最低でも半年以上前からこっちの世界に溶け込んで生活してたっていうの？こんな活動をしながら？はっ、狂三なんて目じゃないわね」
琴里が発した狂三の名に、士道はぴくりと顔を動かした。以前、人間として士道のクラスに転入してきた精霊である。
I previously thought the bold part is the same as というのか until I ...
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in this sentence what function does と take
here is the sentence i know と can have multiple functions
ごめんね 私さごめんね 人に合わせないと不安っていうか
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Meaning of 輪を作る in a sentence
I came across this sentence:
だけど ─ ─ こうして輪を作って連むのは、それ以上の贅沢だと思う。
What does 輪を作って mean in the sentence? Surely it can't be "making a circle/ring"?
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誰でも, 誰も, 何でも, 何も
何でも食べる
何も食べない
"it is as much as something, eat." = if it's anything, I'll eat it/I eat it.
"as much as something, not eat." = if it's anything, I will not/don't eat it.
何でもない = &...
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Help with translating this quote
I'm going to say a word on peace, participating in contest at university, and I have literally no one to check what I've written, and it's tomorrow.
I think of putting this quote from Ibn El Romi:
...
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How to say "and here I thought"
How would I say "and here I thought you didn't understand sarcasm"? I was also wondering if there is any difference between using 皮肉 and 風刺 for meaning sarcasm.
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How to convey the image of the surrounding L.A. desert via translation of 愕然?
I'm trying to find a suitable word/phrase in English that will convey the image shown below while also being suitable for a translation of 荒野, as I want to properly convey the image of a.... rather ...
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Differences between Wa Nai and Ga Nai?
I first learnt Ga as always attached to Arimasen so still trying to grasp the nuances when changed to a Wa.
From my understanding of Wa vs Ga differences, it's just simply a matter of topic vs ...
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Difference between てもらう and てくれる
I'm trying to figure out the difference between the two. I think てくれる can be used when talking about others but then why not just use てあげる for others and てもらう for yourself
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What's the correct translation for 'Japanese Student': 'Nihonjin gakusee' or 'Nihonjin no gakusee'?
I have seen both uses in different contexts, but I'm having trouble figuring out in which case to use the 'no' particle!
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In what context can kiniira mean 'pleased'?
I gave this sentence as an example before(どういう関係) 何か気に入られてる、みたいなんだけど
But Jisho says it means 'pleased' and in english there's a difference between liking someone and being pleased with them so I'm ...
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2
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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?
