Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "著しい" vs "甚だしい"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
著しい
いちじるしい (ichijirushii)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
甚だしい
はなはだしい (hanahadashii)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 著しい and 甚だしい are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
著しい (いちじるしい (ichijirushii)) represents "remarkable; striking; conspicuous; significant (な-adjective)" (Level: N2) and typically represents Used to describe a change, difference, or quality that is very noticeable, significant, or outstanding. Usually applies to objective observations..
On the other hand, 甚だしい (はなはだしい (hanahadashii)) translates to "extreme; excessive; terrible; severe (い-adjective)" (Level: N2) and is used for Expresses something being extreme or severe, often with a negative connotation. It's a formal and strong expression, more impactful than 'とてもひどい'.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "著しい"
この数年で技術は著しく進歩した。
Technology has advanced remarkably in the past few years.
Bilingual Sentence for "甚だしい"
彼の発言は、甚だしい誤解を招く恐れがある。
His remarks may lead to extreme misunderstandings.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この数年で技術は著しく進歩した。" (Meaning: "Technology has advanced remarkably in the past few years.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "著しい" fits here because it represents "remarkable; striking; conspicuous; significant (な-adjective)" in the context: "Technology has advanced remarkably in the past few years.".