Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Flood" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "flood", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
汎濫
はんらん (hanran)
N1 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
氾濫
はんらん (hanran)
N1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "flood" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 汎濫 and 氾濫.
In Japanese, 汎濫 (はんらん (hanran)) is typically associated with "flood, inundation, overflow; (fig.) proliferation, glut" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents 水が堤防を越えて溢れ出す様子を表す他、情報や物資などが過剰に溢れる比喩的な意味でも使われます。.
On the other hand, 氾濫 (はんらん (hanran)) maps to "flood, overflow, inundation" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents Refers to a river overflowing its banks, or an excessive amount of something. A literal translation of "flood" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "汎濫"
大雨により河川が汎濫し、多くの家屋が浸水した。 / インターネットには誤った情報が汎濫している。
Due to heavy rain, the river overflowed and many houses were flooded. / The internet is flooded with misinformation.
Bilingual Context for "氾濫"
大雨で川が氾濫し、多くの家屋が浸水した。
The river overflowed due to heavy rain, and many houses were flooded.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "大雨により河川が ＿＿＿ し、多くの家屋が浸水した。 / インターネットには誤った情報が ＿＿＿ している。" (Meaning: "Due to heavy rain, the river overflowed and many houses were flooded. / The internet is flooded with misinformation.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "汎濫" fits here because it means "flood, inundation, overflow; (fig.) proliferation, glut" in the context of: "Due to heavy rain, the river overflowed and many houses were flooded. / The internet is flooded with misinformation.". "氾濫" represents "flood, overflow, inundation".