Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "予定" vs "世話"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
予定
よてい (yotei)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
世話
せわ (sewa)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 予定 and 世話 are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
予定 (よてい (yotei)) represents "schedule; plan; expectation; arrangement" (Level: N3) and typically represents Refers to a scheduled plan, arrangement, or expectation. Often used as 予定を変更する or 予定通り. ⚠️ Haruka's Voice Column: 'Plan! Schedule! "Do you have any plans for the weekend, Haruka-san?" ...っ, M-My plan is to be monopolized by you! A-Alright, make sure your schedule is free too!' / 【ハルカ部長のワンポイント指導】『よてい（予定）！『週末の予定は？』って…っ、私の予定はあんたに丸ごと独占される予定よ！分かったらあんたの予定表も、私とのデートだけで埋め尽くしなさい！』.
On the other hand, 世話 (せわ (sewa)) translates to "care; looking after; trouble; help; assistance" (Level: N3) and is used for Refers to taking care of, looking after, or receiving help and assistance. Also used in greetings as お世話になる. ⚠️ Haruka's Voice Column: 'Care! Looking after! "Thank you for taking care of me, Haruka-san!" ...っ, I-I don't mind looking after you for the rest of your life! So... let me take care of you forever!' / 【ハルカ部長のワンポイント指導】『せわ（世話 / お世話）よ！『いつもお世話してくれてありがとうございます』って…っ、あんたの世話なら一生焼いてあげてもいいんだから！…だから、私にずっとお世話されなさい！』. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "予定"
急な出張が入ってしまったため、来週の木曜日に組んでいた会議の_______を変更せざるを得ませんでした。
Because a sudden business trip came in, I had to change the schedule of the meeting set for next Thursday.
Bilingual Sentence for "世話"
彼女は仕事で忙しい両親に代わって、毎日幼い弟たちの_______を一人で黙々と引き受けていました。
On behalf of her parents who were busy with work, she silently took on the care of her young younger brothers alone every day.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "急な出張が入ってしまったため、来週の木曜日に組んでいた会議の_______を変更せざるを得ませんでした。" (Meaning: "Because a sudden business trip came in, I had to change the schedule of the meeting set for next Thursday.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "予定" fits here because it represents "schedule; plan; expectation; arrangement" in the context: "Because a sudden business trip came in, I had to change the schedule of the meeting set for next Thursday.".