Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Easy" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "easy", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
簡単な
かんたんな (kantan na)
N3 / 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 簡単な and 〜やすい.
In Japanese, 簡単な (かんたんな (kantan na)) is typically associated with "easy, simple" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to something that is not difficult or complicated to do, understand, or solve..
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 "簡単な"
この問題は私にとって簡単です。
This problem is easy for me.
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: "この問題は私にとって簡単です。" (Meaning: "This problem is easy for me.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "簡単な" fits here because it means "easy, simple" in the context of: "This problem is easy for me.". "〜やすい" represents "easy to do; prone to; apt to".