Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Make" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "make", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
軽視
けいし (keishi)
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 軽視 and 火に油を注ぐ.
In Japanese, 軽視 (けいし (keishi)) is typically associated with "to make light of, to belittle, to underestimate, to disregard" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents ある事柄や要素を重要でないと考え、軽く扱うこと。その価値や重要性を低く評価する際に使う。.
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 "軽視"
彼は安全対策を軽視したため、事故が起こった。
He disregarded safety measures, which led to the accident.
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: "彼は安全対策を ＿＿＿ したため、事故が起こった。" (Meaning: "He disregarded safety measures, which led to the accident.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "軽視" fits here because it means "to make light of, to belittle, to underestimate, to disregard" in the context of: "He disregarded safety measures, which led to the accident.". "火に油を注ぐ" represents "to make things worse".