Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "はじまります" vs "なくす"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
はじまります
はじまります (hajimarimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
なくす
なくす (nakusu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both はじまります and なくす are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
はじまります (はじまります (hajimarimasu)) represents "to begin, to start (intransitive)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used when something starts by itself or a situation begins. The subject is the thing that starts.
On the other hand, なくす (なくす (nakusu)) translates to "to lose (something)" (Level: N4) and is used for Transitive verb. Refers to misplacing an item, making it no longer available to oneself. （物を）見つけられなくする。. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "はじまります"
会議は9時に始まります。
The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.
Bilingual Sentence for "なくす"
財布をなくしてしまいました。
I lost my wallet.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "会議は9時に始まります。" (Meaning: "The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "はじまります" fits here because it represents "to begin, to start (intransitive)" in the context: "The meeting starts at 9 o'clock.".