Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Look" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "look", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
世話する
せわする (sewa suru)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
見返す
みかえす (mikaesu)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "look" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 世話する and 見返す.
In Japanese, 世話する (せわする (sewa suru)) is typically associated with "to look after; to take care of; to attend to; to look out for" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to looking after someone.
On the other hand, 見返す (みかえす (mikaesu)) maps to "to look back at; to give someone a look back; to get revenge/prove oneself right (often after being looked down upon)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Can mean to look back at something or someone, or more often, to prove one's worth or get back at someone who underestimated you through success.. A literal translation of "look" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "世話する"
オフィスの休憩エリアをスマートに緑化するため、彼は週末にも自動給水センサーと連携して植物をスマートに_______ました。
In order to smartly greenify the office break area, he smartly took care of the plants in coordination with the automatic watering sensor even on weekends.
Bilingual Context for "見返す"
彼は自分を馬鹿にした人たちを見返すために、一生懸命努力した。
He worked hard to prove himself to those who had made fun of him.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "オフィスの休憩エリアをスマートに緑化するため、彼は週末にも自動給水センサーと連携して植物をスマートに_______ました。" (Meaning: "In order to smartly greenify the office break area, he smartly took care of the plants in coordination with the automatic watering sensor even on weekends.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "世話する" fits here because it means "to look after; to take care of; to attend to; to look out for" in the context of: "In order to smartly greenify the office break area, he smartly took care of the plants in coordination with the automatic watering sensor even on weekends.". "見返す" represents "to look back at; to give someone a look back; to get revenge/prove oneself right (often after being looked down upon)".