Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Great" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "great", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
えらい
えらい (erai)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
苦心
くしん (kushin)
N1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "great" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between えらい and 苦心.
In Japanese, えらい (えらい (erai)) is typically associated with "great, admirable, excellent; high-ranking, important" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Used to praise someone's achievement, effort, or character. Often used when complimenting children for doing something well. Can also refer to someone in a high position..
On the other hand, 苦心 (くしん (kushin)) maps to "great pains, trouble, hard work, painstaking effort" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents Refers to the act of making great effort or going through difficulties to achieve something. Often implies mental and physical struggle or ingenuity. Can be used as a noun or a する-verb. A literal translation of "great" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "えらい"
彼はテストで満点をとって、先生に「えらい！」と褒められた。
He got a perfect score on the test and was praised by the teacher, who said, "Well done!"
Bilingual Context for "苦心"
彼はこの企画を成功させるために、多大な苦心を重ねた。
He put in a great deal of painstaking effort to make this project a success.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼はテストで満点をとって、先生に「 ＿＿＿ ！」と褒められた。" (Meaning: "He got a perfect score on the test and was praised by the teacher, who said, "Well done!"")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "えらい" fits here because it means "great, admirable, excellent; high-ranking, important" in the context of: "He got a perfect score on the test and was praised by the teacher, who said, "Well done!"". "苦心" represents "great pains, trouble, hard work, painstaking effort".