Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "消します" vs "きえる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
消します
けします (keshimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
きえる
きえる (kieru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 消します and きえる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
消します (けします (keshimasu)) represents "to turn off, to erase" (Level: N5) and typically represents Transitive verb. Used for switching off electrical appliances or erasing something.
On the other hand, きえる (きえる (kieru)) translates to "to disappear, to go out (light, fire)" (Level: N5) and is used for Intransitive verb. Used for lights, fire, or things that vanish on their own.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "消します"
電灯を消します。
I turn off the light.
Bilingual Sentence for "きえる"
部屋の電気が急に消えました。
The light in the room suddenly went out.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "電灯を ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I turn off the light.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "消します" fits here because it represents "to turn off, to erase" in the context: "I turn off the light.".