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Synonym Nuance VS

How to say "Give" in Japanese

Both words can translate to "give", but which should you choose?

Japanese Option A

あげる

あげる (ageru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B

見限る

みかぎる (mikagiru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus

Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference

When translating "give" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between あげる and 見限る. In Japanese, あげる (あげる (ageru)) is typically associated with "to give (to someone else)" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Used when the speaker or someone else gives something to another person/thing. Direction: giver → receiver. On the other hand, 見限る (みかぎる (mikagiru)) maps to "to give up on, to abandon, to despair of" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents To decide that someone or something is hopeless, worthless, or beyond redemption, and to stop expecting anything positive from them. It often implies a final and decisive abandonment.. A literal translation of "give" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "あげる"
友達にプレゼントをあげます。
I give a present to my friend.
Bilingual Context for "見限る"
何度も裏切られたため、ついに彼を見限ることにした。
Having been betrayed many times, I finally decided to give up on him.

Nuance Mastery Quiz

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "友達にプレゼントをあげます。" (Meaning: "I give a present to my friend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "あげる" fits here because it means "to give (to someone else)" in the context of: "I give a present to my friend.". "見限る" represents "to give up on, to abandon, to despair of".

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