Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "いっそう" vs "めっきり"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
いっそう
いっそう (issou)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
めっきり
めっきり (mekkiri)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both いっそう and めっきり are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
いっそう (いっそう (issou)) represents "still more; even more; much more" (Level: N2) and typically represents Used to emphasize an increase in degree, intensity, or extent. Similar to 'furthermore' or 'all the more'. 「もっと」「さらに」という意味で、程度が高まることを強調します。.
On the other hand, めっきり (めっきり (mekkiri)) translates to "remarkably; noticeably; significantly (of change)" (Level: N2) and is used for Implies a noticeable or sudden change, often in weather, health, or an atmosphere. Usually indicates a significant decline or improvement. 天候、健康、雰囲気などが「はっきりと」「急に」変化したときに使います。. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "いっそう"
練習すればするほど、いっそう上達するだろう。
The more you practice, the more you will improve.
Bilingual Sentence for "めっきり"
最近、父はめっきり老け込んだ。
Recently, my father has noticeably aged.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "練習すればするほど、 ＿＿＿ 上達するだろう。" (Meaning: "The more you practice, the more you will improve.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "いっそう" fits here because it represents "still more; even more; much more" in the context: "The more you practice, the more you will improve.".