Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "問題" vs "答え"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
問題
もんだい (mondai)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
答え
こたえ (kotae)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 問題 and 答え are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
問題 (もんだい (mondai)) represents "problem; question" (Level: N4) and typically represents Can refer to a difficult situation.
On the other hand, 答え (こたえ (kotae)) translates to "answer" (Level: N4) and is used for The solution to a question or problem. The verb is 答える. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "問題"
この数学の問題は難しいです。
This math problem is difficult.
Bilingual Sentence for "答え"
彼の答えはいつも正しいです。
His answer is always correct.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この数学の ＿＿＿ は難しいです。" (Meaning: "This math problem is difficult.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "問題" fits here because it represents "problem; question" in the context: "This math problem is difficult.".