Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "入ります" vs "むかえる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
入ります
はいります (hairimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
むかえる
むかえる (mukaeru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 入ります and むかえる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
入ります (はいります (hairimasu)) represents "to enter, to go in" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 入る.
On the other hand, むかえる (むかえる (mukaeru)) translates to "to welcome; to meet; to pick up (a person)" (Level: N5) and is used for Used when meeting someone at a designated place, often to bring them somewhere else, or to welcome a new event/year.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "入ります"
教室に入ります。
I enter the classroom.
Bilingual Sentence for "むかえる"
空港まで友達を迎えに行きます。
I'm going to the airport to pick up my friend.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "教室に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I enter the classroom.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "入ります" fits here because it represents "to enter, to go in" in the context: "I enter the classroom.".