Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "試験" vs "成績"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
試験
しけん (shiken)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
成績
せいせき (seiseki)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 試験 and 成績 are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
試験 (しけん (shiken)) represents "exam; test; trial" (Level: N3) and typically represents Refers to a formal exam, test, or trial. Often used with がある.
On the other hand, 成績 (せいせき (seiseki)) translates to "grades; academic record; performance results" (Level: N3) and is used for Refers to academic grades, records, or business performance results. Often used with がいい/悪い. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "試験"
来週の月曜日に、JLPTの模擬試験があります。
There is a JLPT mock exam next Monday.
Bilingual Sentence for "成績"
努力の結果、成績がクラスで一番になりました。
As a result of my efforts, my grades became the best in the class.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "来週の月曜日に、JLPTの模擬 ＿＿＿ があります。" (Meaning: "There is a JLPT mock exam next Monday.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "試験" fits here because it represents "exam; test; trial" in the context: "There is a JLPT mock exam next Monday.".