What is the difference between "延ばす" and "のばす"?

"延ばす" means "to postpone, to extend, to stretch" (N3), whereas "のばす" represents "to lengthen, to extend, to postpone, to straighten" (N3).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "のばす (nobasu)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

のばす (nobasu)

N3 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

のばす (nobasu)

N3 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "のばす (nobasu)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

延ばす (Level: N3): Translates to "to postpone, to extend, to stretch" and is used when Often used for deadlines, meetings.
のばす (Level: N3): Maps to "to lengthen, to extend, to postpone, to straighten" and carries the nuance of Transitive verb. Has multiple meanings depending on context, such as making something longer.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "延ばす"

会議の時間を30分延ばす。

To extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.

Bilingual Context for "のばす"

髪をもう少しのばしたいです。

I want to grow my hair a little longer.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "会議の時間を30分＿＿＿。" (Meaning: "To extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "延ばす" is used for "to postpone, to extend, to stretch" in the context: "To extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.".