Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Eat" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "eat", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
食べます
たべます (tabemasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
めしあがる
めしあがる (meshiagaru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "eat" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 食べます and めしあがる.
In Japanese, 食べます (たべます (tabemasu)) is typically associated with "to eat (polite form)" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Polite form of 食べる.
On the other hand, めしあがる (めしあがる (meshiagaru)) maps to "to eat, to drink (honorific form of 食べる/飲む)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Honorific form of 食べる. A literal translation of "eat" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "食べます"
毎日ごはんを食べます。
I eat rice every day.
Bilingual Context for "めしあがる"
お客様、どうぞ温かいうちにお茶をめしあがってください。
Customer, please drink the tea while it's still warm.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "毎日ごはんを ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I eat rice every day.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "食べます" fits here because it means "to eat (polite form)" in the context of: "I eat rice every day.". "めしあがる" represents "to eat, to drink (honorific form of 食べる/飲む)".