Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Easy" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "easy", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
楽
らく (raku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
〜やすい
〜やすい (yasui)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "easy" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 楽 and 〜やすい.
In Japanese, 楽 (らく (raku)) is typically associated with "easy; comfortable; fun" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Can describe something being 'easy'.
On the other hand, 〜やすい (〜やすい (yasui)) maps to "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. A literal translation of "easy" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "楽"
この仕事はあまり大変じゃないから楽です。
This job isn't very hard, so it's easy.
Bilingual Context for "〜やすい"
このコップは割れやすい。
This glass breaks easily.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この仕事はあまり大変じゃないから ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "This job isn't very hard, so it's easy.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "楽" fits here because it means "easy; comfortable; fun" in the context of: "This job isn't very hard, so it's easy.". "〜やすい" represents "easy to do; prone to; apt to".