Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "大変" vs "掛ける"
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
掛ける
かける (kakeru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 大変 and 掛ける 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, 掛ける (かける (kakeru)) translates to "to hang, to put on (glasses), to make (a call)" (Level: N4) and is used for A versatile verb with many uses. Common meanings include 'to wear'. 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 "掛ける"
毎日、眼鏡を掛けて新聞を読みます。
Every day, I put on my glasses and read the newspaper.
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.".