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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Honorific suffix in exchanges between university staff
I am trying to find a short summary of suffixes (honorific) that are in use in universities, in exchanges between staff at different levels. I have found a lot of advice on students addressing ...
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Please Explain the Difference between 終わり and 終わる with examples [closed]
Explain the Difference between 終わり and 終わる with examples
like which word to use
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N1 Goi practice question. Synonym of 凌ぐ [closed]
Solving some N1-Goi questions I run up to this one.
暑さを「凌ぐ」ために、多くの人が都会を離れて山や海で過ごしている。
つのる
ふせぐ
いのる
ふさぐ
I was pretty sure it was the second one 2) ふせぐ" but the solutions provided say its 1)つのる. ...
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Why use 耳元 rather than just 耳?
下で見ている人の悲鳴と交じり合って、風が耳元でヒューヒュー鳴った ...
The wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of the people watching below ...
Would this sentence be weird if 耳元 was replaced with 耳? I'm trying to ...
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How do you say "wardrobe" (furniture)?
I know 洋{よう}服{ふく}箪{だん}笥{す}, 衣{い}装{しょう}箪{だん}笥{す} and ワードローブ, but I've never seen them used and I don't know what the difference between them is.
I mean a typical wardrobe with doors (like the one from &...
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What is the difference between もとづいて and もとづき
What is the difference between both of them? I could not find any explanations so I came here.
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What's the difference between 埃{ほこり} and 塵{ちり} and 塵{ごみ}?
What I've found is that 埃{ほこり} means "dust", 塵{ごみ} means "rubbish", "trash", "garbage", and 塵{ちり} means both of them.
I wonder what the difference between 埃 and ...
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What's the difference between 開閉器 and スイッチ?
開閉器 seems uncommon, maybe it's technical. I suppose they both mean "switch", like in "light switch", but スイッチ also means "change", "shift". As "light ...
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How do I say "take a break from (gaming, social media)"?
How do I express that I'm taking a somewhat long-term (e.g. a few weeks to a few months) break from hobbies or entertainment such as video games/social media/etc?
I found the question below in which ...
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Can 行う and 施行する be used interchangeably when meaning "to carry out?"
I'd learned 行う as meaning "to carry out" a while back, and had understood it to mean something like carrying an action out, or performing an action. The definition offered in Jisho.org ...
JNat♦
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Which verb fits in 庭に木をもう一本＿？
There is a closed-ended question in Nihongo so-matome:
庭に木をもう一本＿
１）植えました
２）切りました
The book says the answer is 植えました. What makes this answer the correct one? Doesn't 切る fit here too? The only thing ...
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Why is から used in this concessive clause?
There is a word-order exercise from Nihongo So-matome:
さっき頼んだこと、すぐじゃなくてもいいからやっておいてください。
As far as I understand, it means "There is no rush, but please do what I asked you to do".
Why is から ...
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Subtleties of usage of 行く vs 来る
Most textbooks explain that 行く and 来る can be generally translated to English as to go and to come, except when the perspectives/locations of the speaker and the person performing the movement are ...
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"kiru" used to refer to a card?
In Bungou Stray Dogs S2E07, the enemy pulled off something really abhorrent, and in response, Dazai says "敵｛てき｝がその気｛き｝なら、こちらも鬼札｛おにふだ｝を切｛き｝ろう". I can understand that onifuda is like "...
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Does this sentence sound natural: その靴はどこで買いましたか
その靴はどこで買いましたか
Should か be replaced with の? Should I say 買った instead of 買いました?
Make any sort of corrections you want, I'm trying to make my Japanese sound as native as possible.
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What is the difference between いくつか and 一部?
Both words can translate to "some" or "a few". I understand that both of them are used for countables. So i was wondering if there is an actual difference in their usage or if they ...
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から vs. を in: あちらから出て or あちらを出て? 東から昇る or 東を昇る?
I've learned that when you want to express "to come out of something without obvious boundary" , it's better to replace を with から.
For examples:
あちらから出てきた人は誰ですか。 (を should not be used here, ...
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Why don't you use the particle の when stating the name of a place?
I got confused when i was asked why you dont put の in place's name. it happen when I explain the function of の particle.
can someone tell me in bunpou teki's way, why name place don't use no?
like ...
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Difference between "つもりです" and "予定です"
I recently learned about both of them meaning "I intend/plan to..." but I don't know the difference between the two. Can someone explain?
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What's the difference between ...から死ぬ and ...で死ぬ?
We know that both から and で can express reason, and that から emphasis on a process of change in comparison to で. If this is the prerequisite, then both "...から死ぬ" and "...で死ぬ" can be ...
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What's the difference between saying "試験を受ける" and "試験を受験する"
Recently I asked a question on HiNative and said "試験を受けました" but a native Japanese speaker corrected it to "試験を受験しました".
I'm positive I've seen someone say 試験を受ける before, so why did ...
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How to call a singing voice powerful?
If I wanted to say "Mika Kobayashi has a powerful singing voice", for example, could I say
小林みかさんは力を持つ歌声があります。
Or is there a better way to say it.
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What's the difference between 其処ら, 至る所, and そこら中?
Trying to figure out how to say the word "everywhere" in Japanese, and I want to make sure I'm using the correct one. Usually there's some difference due to context or formality. Context of ...
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Why can't I say 「電車に遅刻する」?
In the 2012 JLPT-official N4 sample test book, question #34, you are tested on the meaning of the word ちこく.
もんだい５ つぎの ことばの つかいかたで いちばん いい ものを １・２・３・４から ひとつ えらんで ください。
３４ ちこく
１ あの とけいは ちょっと ちこくして います。
...
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What are the differences in usage? - ~あげる and ~あがる?
~あげる and ~あがる mean "finish."
But what are the differences in usage?
Should あげる strictly follow 他動詞？
For example, この本を読みあげた。
Should あがる strictly follow 自動詞？
For example, さっき走りあがった。
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Why is 前 used instead of 後?
From 押しの子, chapter 2:
A guy in this panel holds a sign that reads 30秒前 to singers before their play starts. I initially thought it means "30 seconds ago" but from context, it is best ...
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How correct is Duolingo with 俺は人間をやめるぞ！
Recently I got curious about Duolingo's Japanese courses, so I downloaded it and skipped over to section 5. This is the highest level section where they are still teaching you to my understanding. ...
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Usage/connotation of "いろ" meaning someone's "girl/lover"
In Rurouni Kenshin, a woman is running away from Kanryuu's men. A guy asks her "are you Kanryuu's girl?" (anta wa Kanryuu no iro ka?)
Anyways, my question is the usage of "iro" to ...
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Word order in 銀河鉄道の夜
I was reading 銀河鉄道の夜, and I’m confused on the choice of word order in the following sentence. I understand what the sentence means, but I do not understand why みんな isnt before が.
たしかにあれがみんな星だと
Let ...
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About "活きてるなあって思いますか？"
In this video clip : https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxfiBqUAzxHmyxBNLZ13fJBoIpmqOrFBQq
The lady asks :
剣道で培ったことは日頃の自分にもすごい活きてるなあって思いますか？
The subtitle trasnlation says ：
Do you feel that you're applying ...
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Can someone tell me the difference between 別々に and 別々 and 別 and 別に and 別々の
I am asking for the difference between 別々に and 別々 and 別 and 別に and 別々の.
They are all very similiar having something to do with separate/ly.
Thanks.
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Choose between 手数料 vs キャンセル料
Which one is used in the context of hotels, attractions, and so on (reservations)?
Is there a better word to say it?
Thank you!
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Is there any other difference between なくなり vs なくなって besides the former being more formal than the latter?
I can't figure out if the difference between the two is just a matter of formality or if there are cases I would prefer to use one over the other regarding the context or nuance I want to convey.
For ...
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"Your mom has an outie" = "son of a bitch" in English?
This might seem ridiculous, but I've now encountered "Your mom has an outie" twice in anime, and both times, it's been translated as "son of a bitch." I just want to know if there'...
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Which one is correct between 侘び寂び and 侘寂
I know that generally you use the hiragana "わびさび", and in the entry for "侘寂" in the chinese wikipedia "侘び寂び" is listed as the original japanese, but I still have my ...
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What's the difference between 公園を散歩する and 公園で犬を散歩させる?
Normally we say 公園を散歩する because 散歩する is a verb that expresses movement in space, and is thus followed by を, which also expresses movement in space.
But if the verb is changed into 犬を散歩させる, in this ...
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What's the difference between ごぜん and あさ for "morning"?
What's the difference between these words? Apparently they both mean "morning" but are they interchangeable?
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What's the difference between ひる (noon) and ごご (afternoon)? [closed]
What's the difference between them?
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Any reason "Naniwa musume" is used to refer to a girl in modern times (as opposed to "Oosaka musme")?
Naniwa is an antiquated name for what is now referred to as the Oosaka region (It was called Naniwa around the 1500s last, if I'm not mistaken).
That being said, In Shinya Shokudo S3E04 (released in ...
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Saying "mostly" in Japanese: ほとんど or something else?
I've come across a problem repeatedly when I use Japanese, and that is the proper use of ほとんど. I've gathered that it means most in an opposite manner; e.g. ほとんどない to say mostly don't have and I want ...
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Is ニュー・ハーフ considered a derogatory/offensive term in Japan for a transsexual individual?
Also, as a follow-up, is it used solely to refer to MtF trans individuals? From what I've read online in Japanese, that seems to be the case, but I just wanted to confirm. And if so, what is the most ...
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Difference between 鞠 and ボール
僕はまりみたいに弾んだ。
I bounced like a ball.
This is the fist time I've come across the word まり.
Are there differences in usage between まり and ボール?
Is it usual to write it in kanji, 鞠?
Is まり more formal or ...
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The usage of 大規模
Which option is sound more natural (colloquial):
政府が法律をしたい変更に反対して、大きなデモが行われました。1万人以上が参加しました。
政府が法律をしたい変更に反対して、大規模なデモが行われました。1万人以上が参加しました。
I have the impression that 大規模 is a bit too much in that ...
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What period in life each of those words refer to?
I was wondering about what each of the following word is referring to:
男の子/女の子
男子/女子
男性/女性
男/女
I know the literal translation of each, but couldn't figure out on whom to use it.
Thank you
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Why is wo followed by a noun?
So I've got this sentence: 日本【にほん】の古【ふる】くから言【い】い伝【つた】われている話【はな】しを昔話【むかしばなし】と言【い】います。
Now 昔話【むかしばなし】 is supposed to be a noun, and を should be followed by a verb, but why is を followed by a noun in ...
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Controversy, controversial -- Japanese equivalents?
Are there good Japanese equivalents for controversial ("Trump is a controversial figure") and controversy ("The high school's new admission policy caused a huge controversy among both ...
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Utsukushii (美しい) deeper meaning different than just "beautiful"?
The impetus for my question is Vinland Saga, S2E23. Somewhat avoiding spoilers, T has belonged to vicious savage vikings all his life. But T, after years of murder, uniquely begins to pursue and ...
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Use of くれる among 外
For giving/receiving among people other than me, my family, my friends or anyone I am close with (外->外), the book says to use あげる. もらう can also be used for anyone->anyone. Is it wrong to use くれる ...
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Connotation of "abazure" (shameless woman)?
Kimetsu no Yaiba is an anime set during the Taishou era (early 1900s). During Katanakaji no Sato-hen (ep10), a man says to an overly-friendly-looking woman "だまれ、あばずれが", which is localized as ...
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