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
身につまされる
みにつまされる (mi ni tsumasareru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "feel" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 気がする and 身につまされる.
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, 身につまされる (みにつまされる (mi ni tsumasareru)) maps to "to feel for someone, to sympathize deeply, to be touched to the quick (because one's own situation is similar)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Expresses deep empathy where one feels another's suffering or situation as if it were their own, often due to similar past experiences or current circumstances.. 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 "身につまされる"
彼の苦労話を聞いて、私自身の経験と重なり身につまされた。
Hearing about his hardships, I was deeply sympathetic as it overlapped with my own experiences.
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.". "身につまされる" represents "to feel for someone, to sympathize deeply, to be touched to the quick (because one's own situation is similar)".