Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "とおく" vs "役に立つ"
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
役に立つ
やくにたつ (yaku ni tatsu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both とおく and 役に立つ 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, 役に立つ (やくにたつ (yaku ni tatsu)) translates to "to be useful, to be helpful" (Level: N4) and is used for A set phrase meaning to be useful or helpful for someone or something. It describes the utility of an object, skill, or person. Often followed by the particle に. 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 "役に立つ"
この辞書は日本語の勉強に役に立ちます。
This dictionary is useful for studying Japanese.
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.".