Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Open" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "open", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
空く
あく (aku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
虚心坦懐
きょしんたんかい (kyoshintankai)
C2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "open" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 空く and 虚心坦懐.
In Japanese, 空く (あく (aku)) is typically associated with "to open, to be vacant, to be available, to become empty" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents An intransitive verb. Refers to something becoming empty, available, or a space opening up. For example, 席が空く.
On the other hand, 虚心坦懐 (きょしんたんかい (kyoshintankai)) maps to "with an open mind" (Syllabus Level: C2) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C2 vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "open" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "空く"
会議室が空いていますか。
Is the meeting room available?
Bilingual Context for "虚心坦懐"
私は虚心坦懐に興味があります。
I am interested in with an open mind.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "会議室が空いていますか。" (Meaning: "Is the meeting room available?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "空く" fits here because it means "to open, to be vacant, to be available, to become empty" in the context of: "Is the meeting room available?". "虚心坦懐" represents "with an open mind".