Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "大変" vs "晴れる"
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
晴れる
はれる (hareru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 大変 and 晴れる 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, 晴れる (はれる (hareru)) translates to "to clear up (weather), to be sunny" (Level: N5) and is used for Refers to the weather becoming clear or sunny after being cloudy or rainy. Often used as 晴れます. 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 "晴れる"
明日は晴れるでしょう。
It will probably be sunny tomorrow.
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.".