Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "大変" vs "出張"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
大変
たいへん (taihen)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
出張
しゅっちょう (shutchō)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 大変 and 出張 are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
大変 (たいへん (taihen)) represents "tough, difficult, serious (na-adjective); very, extremely (adverb)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Can be an な-adjective.
On the other hand, 出張 (しゅっちょう (shutchō)) translates to "business trip" (Level: N4) and is used for A trip taken for business purposes, often to another city or country. Used with する. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "大変"
この仕事は時間がかかって大変です。
This job takes a long time and is tough.
Bilingual Sentence for "出張"
部長は来週、大阪へ出張します。
The department head will go on a business trip to Osaka next week.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この仕事は時間がかかって ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "This job takes a long time and is tough.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "大変" fits here because it represents "tough, difficult, serious (na-adjective); very, extremely (adverb)" in the context: "This job takes a long time and is tough.".