Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Good" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "good", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
良い
よい (yoi) / いい (ii)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
好感
こうかん (kōkan)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "good" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 良い and 好感.
In Japanese, 良い (よい (yoi) / いい (ii)) is typically associated with "good, nice" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents 「良い」.
On the other hand, 好感 (こうかん (kōkan)) maps to "good impression; favorable feeling; positive reception; liking" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to a good impression, favorable feeling, or positive reception toward someone's personality, behavior, or looks. Often used as 好感を持たれる or 好感度. A literal translation of "good" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "良い"
これは良い本です。
This is a good book.
Bilingual Context for "好感"
彼のハキハキとした挨拶と清潔感のある身だしなみは、面接官たちに非常に高い_______を与えました。
His crisp greeting and clean appearance gave a very high good impression to the interviewers.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "これは ＿＿＿ 本です。" (Meaning: "This is a good book.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "良い" fits here because it means "good, nice" in the context of: "This is a good book.". "好感" represents "good impression; favorable feeling; positive reception; liking".