Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Burn" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "burn", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
焼ける
やける (yakeru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
焦げる
こげる (kogeru)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "burn" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 焼ける and 焦げる.
In Japanese, 焼ける (やける (yakeru)) is typically associated with "to burn, to be baked/grilled/roasted (intransitive)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Indicates that something is cooked by heat, or gets burnt, often by itself or unintentionally. The focus is on the object undergoing the change..
On the other hand, 焦げる (こげる (kogeru)) maps to "to burn; to be burned; to get burnt" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to food or other things becoming burnt or scorched. It's an intransitive verb.. A literal translation of "burn" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "焼ける"
パンがちょうどよく焼けました。
The bread was baked just right.
Bilingual Context for "焦げる"
パンが焦げてしまった。
The bread got burnt.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "パンがちょうどよく焼けました。" (Meaning: "The bread was baked just right.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "焼ける" fits here because it means "to burn, to be baked/grilled/roasted (intransitive)" in the context of: "The bread was baked just right.". "焦げる" represents "to burn; to be burned; to get burnt".