Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Make" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "make", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
軽んじる
かろんじる (karonjiru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
埋め合わせる
うめあわせる (umeawaseru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "make" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 軽んじる and 埋め合わせる.
In Japanese, 軽んじる (かろんじる (karonjiru)) is typically associated with "to make light of, to belittle, to disdain, to disregard" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents To treat something or someone as unimportant or trivial; often used for disrespecting rules, advice, feelings, or established norms. Similar to 侮る but focuses more on treating something as insignificant..
On the other hand, 埋め合わせる (うめあわせる (umeawaseru)) maps to "to make up for; to compensate for; to make amends" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents 損失や不足、過ちなどに対して、何かをして帳消しにする、または等価なものを提供する状況で使う。Used when doing something to cancel out a loss, deficiency, or mistake, or providing something equivalent.. A literal translation of "make" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "軽んじる"
彼の忠告を軽んじた結果、大きな失敗をしてしまった。
As a result of making light of his advice, I made a big mistake.
Bilingual Context for "埋め合わせる"
昨日の遅刻を埋め合わせるために、今日は早く出社した。
To make up for being late yesterday, I came to work early today.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼の忠告を軽んじた結果、大きな失敗をしてしまった。" (Meaning: "As a result of making light of his advice, I made a big mistake.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "軽んじる" fits here because it means "to make light of, to belittle, to disdain, to disregard" in the context of: "As a result of making light of his advice, I made a big mistake.". "埋め合わせる" represents "to make up for; to compensate for; to make amends".