Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "どう" vs "感じる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
どう
どう (dō)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
感じる
かんじる (kanjiru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both どう and 感じる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
どう (どう (dō)) represents "how, in what way" (Level: N5) and typically represents Interrogative adverb used to ask about manner, condition, or opinion..
On the other hand, 感じる (かんじる (kanjiru)) translates to "to feel, to sense" (Level: N4) and is used for 感情や感覚、ある印象などを心や体でとらえること。他動詞。/ To perceive emotions, sensations, or impressions with one's mind or body. Transitive verb.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "どう"
日本語の勉強はどうですか。
How is your Japanese study?
Bilingual Sentence for "感じる"
寒さを感じます。
I feel cold.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "日本語の勉強は ＿＿＿ ですか。" (Meaning: "How is your Japanese study?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "どう" fits here because it represents "how, in what way" in the context: "How is your Japanese study?".