Kanji Homophone Battle
Pronunciation Trap: "ひかえる (hikaeru)"
Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.
Kanji Option A
ひかえる
ひかえる (hikaeru)
N2 / CEFR
VS
Kanji Option B
控える
ひかえる (hikaeru)
N2 / CEFR
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "ひかえる (hikaeru)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.
- ひかえる (Level: N2): Translates to "1. to refrain from; to abstain from 2. to be in waiting; to be ready 3. to take notes; to make a memo 4. to be behind; to be next to" and is used when This word has several distinct meanings. For N2, the primary meanings are "to refrain from".
- 控える (Level: N2): Maps to "to refrain from; to hold back; to be in waiting; to make notes" and carries the nuance of 主に「自制する、遠慮する」という意味と、「待機する、準備する」という意味で使われます。また、「メモを取る」という用法もあります。.
Bilingual Context for "ひかえる"
健康のため、甘い物をひかえる。
To refrain from eating too many sweets for health.
Bilingual Context for "控える"
健康のために、夜食を控えるようにしている。
For my health, I'm trying to refrain from eating late-night snacks.
Kanji Selection Quiz
Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?
Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "健康のため、甘い物を ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "To refrain from eating too many sweets for health.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Correct! "ひかえる" is used for "1. to refrain from; to abstain from 2. to be in waiting; to be ready 3. to take notes; to make a memo 4. to be behind; to be next to" in the context: "To refrain from eating too many sweets for health.".