Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "とおく" vs "泣きます"
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
泣きます
なきます (nakimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both とおく and 泣きます 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, 泣きます (なきます (nakimasu)) translates to "to cry" (Level: N5) and is used for Verb, polite form. Refers to the act of shedding tears due to sadness, pain, or other emotions. The dictionary form is 泣く. 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 "泣きます"
子供が転んで泣きました。
The child fell and cried.
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.".