Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Feeling" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "feeling", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
感じ
かんじ (kanji)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
げんなり
げんなり (gennari)
N1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "feeling" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 感じ and げんなり.
In Japanese, 感じ (かんじ (kanji)) is typically associated with "feeling, impression, sense" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents As a noun, it refers to a feeling or impression. Can also be the noun form of the verb 感じる.
On the other hand, げんなり (げんなり (gennari)) maps to "feeling disheartened, jaded, fed up, disgusted, weary" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents Describes a feeling of dullness, weariness, or disillusionment, often due to seeing or experiencing too much of something, or being disappointed. Something might become unappealing. 飽きたり、がっかりしたり、疲れてしまって、うんざりする気持ちを表す。. A literal translation of "feeling" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "感じ"
この歌はいい感じですね。
This song has a nice feeling, doesn't it?
Bilingual Context for "げんなり"
同じ話を何度も聞かされて、げんなりした。
I felt disheartened after hearing the same story so many times.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この歌はいい ＿＿＿ ですね。" (Meaning: "This song has a nice feeling, doesn't it?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "感じ" fits here because it means "feeling, impression, sense" in the context of: "This song has a nice feeling, doesn't it?". "げんなり" represents "feeling disheartened, jaded, fed up, disgusted, weary".