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
火に油を注ぐ
ひにあぶらをそそぐ (hiniaburawososogu)
C1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "make" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 軽んじる and 火に油を注ぐ.
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, 火に油を注ぐ (ひにあぶらをそそぐ (hiniaburawososogu)) maps to "to make things worse" (Syllabus Level: C1) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C1 vocabulary syllabus.. 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 "火に油を注ぐ"
毎日、日本語を練習するために火に油を注ぐ。
Every day, I make things worse to practice Japanese.
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.". "火に油を注ぐ" represents "to make things worse".