Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "買う" vs "はしる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
買う
かう (kau)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
はしる
はしる (hashiru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 買う and はしる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
買う (かう (kau)) represents "to buy" (Level: N5) and typically represents Commonly used for purchasing items. Polite form is 買います.
On the other hand, はしる (はしる (hashiru)) translates to "to run" (Level: N5) and is used for Common verb for physical movement, typically for people or animals. Often used in the form '走る. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "買う"
週末に新しい本を買いました。
I bought a new book on the weekend.
Bilingual Sentence for "はしる"
彼は毎日公園を走ります。
He runs in the park every day.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "週末に新しい本を買いました。" (Meaning: "I bought a new book on the weekend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "買う" fits here because it represents "to buy" in the context: "I bought a new book on the weekend.".