Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "とおく" vs "かえります"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
とおく
とおく (tooku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
かえります
かえります (kaerimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both とおく and かえります are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
とおく (とおく (tooku)) represents "far, distant" (Level: N5) and typically represents Describes distance. Opposite of ちかく.
On the other hand, かえります (かえります (kaerimasu)) translates to "to return, to go home" (Level: N5) and is used for Used when returning to a place, typically one's home. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "とおく"
わたしの家は会社から遠いです。
My house is far from the office.
Bilingual Sentence for "かえります"
毎日、会社から家に帰ります。
I go home from work every day.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "わたしの家は会社から遠いです。" (Meaning: "My house is far from the office.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "とおく" fits here because it represents "far, distant" in the context: "My house is far from the office.".