Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Feel" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "feel", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
気がする
きがする (ki ga suru)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
恥じる
はじる (hajiru)
B2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "feel" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 気がする and 恥じる.
In Japanese, 気がする (きがする (ki ga suru)) is typically associated with "to feel; to have a hunch; to have a premonition" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Used to express a feeling or intuition about something, often without concrete evidence. Can be translated as "I feel like...", "I have a feeling that...", or "I have a hunch..."..
On the other hand, 恥じる (はじる (hajiru)) maps to "to feel ashamed" (Syllabus Level: B2) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR B2 vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "feel" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "気がする"
雨が降るような気がします。
I have a feeling it's going to rain.
Bilingual Context for "恥じる"
毎日、日本語を練習するために恥じる。
Every day, I feel ashamed to practice Japanese.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "雨が降るような気がします。" (Meaning: "I have a feeling it's going to rain.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "気がする" fits here because it means "to feel; to have a hunch; to have a premonition" in the context of: "I have a feeling it's going to rain.". "恥じる" represents "to feel ashamed".