Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "とります" vs "説明する"
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
説明する
せつめいする (setsumei suru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both とります and 説明する 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, 説明する (せつめいする (setsumei suru)) translates to "to explain" (Level: N4) and is used for Used when clarifying or elaborating on something. It's a noun + する verb.. 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 "説明する"
先生が文法を説明してくれました。
The teacher explained the grammar to me.
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.".