Kanji Homophone Battle
Pronunciation Trap: "わく (waku)"
Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.
Kanji Option A
沸く
わく (waku)
N4 / CEFR
VS
Kanji Option B
湧く
わく (waku)
N3 / CEFR
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "わく (waku)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.
- 沸く (Level: N4): Translates to "to boil (intransitive), to get excited, to spring up (water)" and is used when Intransitive verb. Used for water boiling by itself.
- 湧く (Level: N3): Maps to "to well up, to gush forth (water, emotions); to generate, to spring forth" and carries the nuance of Can describe water naturally emerging from the ground.
Bilingual Context for "沸く"
お風呂のお湯が沸いたら教えてください。
Please let me know when the bath water boils.
Bilingual Context for "湧く"
この辺りには、温泉が湧く場所がたくさんある。
There are many places around here where hot springs well up.
Kanji Selection Quiz
Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?
Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "お風呂のお湯が沸いたら教えてください。" (Meaning: "Please let me know when the bath water boils.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Correct! "沸く" is used for "to boil (intransitive), to get excited, to spring up (water)" in the context: "Please let me know when the bath water boils.".