Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Make" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "make", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
汚す
よごす (yogosu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
さわぐ
さわぐ (sawagu)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "make" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 汚す and さわぐ.
In Japanese, 汚す (よごす (yogosu)) is typically associated with "to make dirty (transitive)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Used when someone *makes* something dirty. It emphasizes the action of an agent causing something to become dirty.
On the other hand, さわぐ (さわぐ (sawagu)) maps to "to make noise, to be boisterous, to make a fuss" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to making loud noise or creating a disturbance. Often implies inappropriate or excessive noise.. A literal translation of "make" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "汚す"
彼はシャツにインクをこぼして汚してしまいました。
He spilled ink on his shirt and made it dirty.
Bilingual Context for "さわぐ"
図書館で騒いではいけません。
You must not make noise in the library.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼はシャツにインクをこぼして汚してしまいました。" (Meaning: "He spilled ink on his shirt and made it dirty.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "汚す" fits here because it means "to make dirty (transitive)" in the context of: "He spilled ink on his shirt and made it dirty.". "さわぐ" represents "to make noise, to be boisterous, to make a fuss".