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What is The Difference Between “simekiri” and “kigen”?
Miss a 締 (kigen) pass and things just... expire. Both words relate to time running out, but they are used in very different situations. Once you understand the one key distinction between them, choosing the right word will always be eas... -
Full Guide: Difference Between 警戒, 注意報 and 警報
At a Glance WordReadingLevelMeaning 警戒keikaiPersonal vigilancecaution / being on alert 注意報chuuihouLevel 1 — Advisorybe aware / weather advisory 警報keihouLevel 2 — Warningdanger / take action 特別警報tokubetsu keihouLevel 3 — Specia... -
Commonly Confused Words: 閉まる and 閉める
At a Glance VerbReadingTypeMeaning 閉まるshimaruIntransitive (自動詞)to close (by itself) 閉めるshimeruTransitive (他動詞)to close (something) 開く / 開くaku / hirakuIntransitiveto open (by itself) 開けるakeruTransitiveto open (something... -
支払う vs 5 means of 払う: What’s the difference?
At a Glance WordReadingCore Meaning 払うharauto pay / to brush away (broad) 支払うshiharauto pay money (formal, financial) 現金払いgenkin baraicash payment カード払いkaado baraicard payment 分割払いbunkatsu baraiinstallment payment At a ... -
Natives Speakers Avoid Using “shinu” Instead of “nakunaru”
Talking about death in Japanese can feel uncomfortable even for native speakers. That is why the Japanese language has a spectrum of expressions — from blunt and direct to gentle and respectful. Learning which word to use and when is not... -
Can You Explain What “しっくりくる” Means?
At a Glance ExpressionReadingMeaning しっくりくるshikkuri kurufeels right, fits perfectly, clicks しっくりこないshikkuri konaidoesn't feel right, feels off ぴったりpittarifits exactly (more objective) なじむ / 馴染むnajimuto blend in, to... -
“hakkiri” vs. “shikkari”：A Simple Guide To Telling The Difference
はっきり (hakkiri) and しっかり (shikkari) are two of the most commonly confused adverbs in Japanese. Both end in り, both describe how you do something — yet they paint completely different pictures. はっきり is about clarity; しっかり ... -
22 Simple Ways to Use Quiet (静か) in Japanese
At a Glance WordReadingMeaning 静かshizukaquiet / silent / calm 静かなshizuka naquiet (adjective, before noun) 静かにshizuka niquietly (adverb) 静まり返るshizumari kaeruto fall completely silent Picture a library, a temple garden at dawn... -
Top 12 Examples to Use About Instructions in Japanese
At a Glance WordReadingMeaning 指示shijiinstruction / directive 指示するshiji suruto give instructions 指示を受けるshiji wo ukeruto receive instructions 指示書shijishowritten instructions On your first day at a Japanese company, your sup... -
26 Ways to Use Words Related to Test You’ll Use
At a Glance WordReadingMeaning テストtesutotest (casual/school) 試験shikenexam (formal) 検定kenteicertification exam 合格goukakupass 不合格fugoukakufail Whether you're studying for the JLPT, a university entrance exam, or just a school q...
