Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Invite" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "invite", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
誘う
さそう (sasou)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
招く
まねく (maneku)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "invite" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 誘う and 招く.
In Japanese, 誘う (さそう (sasou)) is typically associated with "to invite, to ask (someone to do something)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Used when inviting someone to an event, a meal, or to join an activity. 友達を映画に誘う.
On the other hand, 招く (まねく (maneku)) maps to "to invite; to summon; to attract; to cause (problems / misunderstandings)" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to inviting guests to a house/event, or abstractly causing/attracting bad outcomes. A literal translation of "invite" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "誘う"
友達を食事に誘いました。
I invited my friend to dinner.
Bilingual Context for "招く"
開発チームのリードメンバーは、システムのセキュリティ脆弱性に関する設計の不用意な記述が、将来的にサイバー攻撃を_______リスクを指摘しました。
The lead member of the development team pointed out the risk that careless description in the design concerning system security vulnerabilities might attract cyber attacks in the future.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "友達を食事に誘いました。" (Meaning: "I invited my friend to dinner.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "誘う" fits here because it means "to invite, to ask (someone to do something)" in the context of: "I invited my friend to dinner.". "招く" represents "to invite; to summon; to attract; to cause (problems / misunderstandings)".