Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Easy" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "easy", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
〜やすい
〜やすい (yasui)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
手軽
てがる (tegaru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "easy" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 〜やすい and 手軽.
In Japanese, 〜やすい (〜やすい (yasui)) is typically associated with "easy to do; prone to; apt to" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Indicates that an action is easy to perform or that something has a tendency to occur. It is attached to the masu-stem.
On the other hand, 手軽 (てがる (tegaru)) maps to "easy; simple; light; casual; handy" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Often used as an な-adjective. A literal translation of "easy" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "〜やすい"
このコップは割れやすい。
This glass breaks easily.
Bilingual Context for "手軽"
手軽に作れるランチレシピを探している。
I'm looking for an easy-to-make lunch recipe.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "このコップは割れやすい。" (Meaning: "This glass breaks easily.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "〜やすい" fits here because it means "easy to do; prone to; apt to" in the context of: "This glass breaks easily.". "手軽" represents "easy; simple; light; casual; handy".