Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "とります" vs "洗う"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
とります
とります (torimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
洗う
あらう (arau)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both とります and 洗う are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
とります (とります (torimasu)) represents "to take (a photo, a class, a break, etc.), to grab, to pass (salt)" (Level: N5) and typically represents A versatile verb with multiple meanings depending on the context. Common usages include 写真を撮る.
On the other hand, 洗う (あらう (arau)) translates to "to wash" (Level: N4) and is used for Used for washing clothes, dishes, hands, cars, etc. It implies cleaning something with water.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "とります"
写真を撮りましょう。
Let's take a photo.
Bilingual Sentence for "洗う"
毎日、顔を洗います。
I wash my face every day.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "写真を撮りましょう。" (Meaning: "Let's take a photo.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "とります" fits here because it represents "to take (a photo, a class, a break, etc.), to grab, to pass (salt)" in the context: "Let's take a photo.".