Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Easy" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "easy", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
易しい
やさしい (yasashii)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
簡単な
かんたんな (kantan na)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "easy" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 易しい and 簡単な.
In Japanese, 易しい (やさしい (yasashii)) is typically associated with "easy, simple" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents An i-adjective. In the context of difficulty, it means 'simple' or 'not difficult.' Note that '優しい'.
On the other hand, 簡単な (かんたんな (kantan na)) maps to "easy, simple" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to something that is not difficult or complicated to do, understand, or solve.. A literal translation of "easy" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "易しい"
この問題はとても易しいです。
This problem is very easy.
Bilingual Context for "簡単な"
この問題は私にとって簡単です。
This problem is easy for me.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この問題はとても ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "This problem is very easy.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "易しい" fits here because it means "easy, simple" in the context of: "This problem is very easy.". "簡単な" represents "easy, simple".