Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "働く" vs "見える"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
働く
はたらく (hataraku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
見える
みえる (mieru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 働く and 見える are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
働く (はたらく (hataraku)) represents "to work" (Level: N5) and typically represents Describes the act of working or being employed. Polite form is 働きます.
On the other hand, 見える (みえる (mieru)) translates to "to be visible, to be seen" (Level: N4) and is used for Intransitive verb. Indicates that something comes into one's sight, often unintentionally or by natural conditions.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "働く"
私の父は銀行で働いています。
My father works at a bank.
Bilingual Sentence for "見える"
遠くに山が見えます。
I can see a mountain in the distance.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "私の父は銀行で働いています。" (Meaning: "My father works at a bank.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "働く" fits here because it represents "to work" in the context: "My father works at a bank.".