Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Postpone" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "postpone", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
延ばす
のばす (nobasu)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
見合わせる
みあわせる (miawaseru)
C1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "postpone" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 延ばす and 見合わせる.
In Japanese, 延ばす (のばす (nobasu)) is typically associated with "to postpone, to extend, to stretch" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Often used for deadlines, meetings.
On the other hand, 見合わせる (みあわせる (miawaseru)) maps to "to postpone, to exchange glances" (Syllabus Level: C1) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C1 vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "postpone" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "延ばす"
会議の時間を30分延ばす。
To extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.
Bilingual Context for "見合わせる"
毎日、日本語を練習するために見合わせる。
Every day, I postpone, to exchange glances to practice Japanese.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "会議の時間を30分 ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "To extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "延ばす" fits here because it means "to postpone, to extend, to stretch" in the context of: "To extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.". "見合わせる" represents "to postpone, to exchange glances".