Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "大変" vs "出発する"
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
出発する
しゅっぱつする (shuppatsu suru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 大変 and 出発する 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, 出発する (しゅっぱつする (shuppatsu suru)) translates to "to depart, to leave" (Level: N4) and is used for A verb indicating the start of a journey or movement from a place. Often used with 場所を or 場所から.. 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 "出発する"
飛行機は午前10時に出発します。
The plane departs at 10 AM.
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.".