Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Far" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "far", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
とおい
とおい (tooi)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
遠く
とおく (tooku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "far" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between とおい and 遠く.
In Japanese, とおい (とおい (tooi)) is typically associated with "far, distant" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents 物理的な距離が離れていることを表すい形容詞です。反対語は「ちかい」です。.
On the other hand, 遠く (とおく (tooku)) maps to "far, distant, a long way off" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents 物理的な距離が離れていることを示します。「遠くに」として場所を指すことが多いです。. A literal translation of "far" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "とおい"
私の家から駅までとても遠いです。
It's very far from my house to the station.
Bilingual Context for "遠く"
彼の故郷はとても遠いです。
His hometown is very far away.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "私の家から駅までとても遠いです。" (Meaning: "It's very far from my house to the station.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "とおい" fits here because it means "far, distant" in the context of: "It's very far from my house to the station.". "遠く" represents "far, distant, a long way off".