Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Quite" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "quite", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
なかなか
なかなか (nakanaka)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
ごく
ごく (goku)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "quite" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between なかなか and ごく.
In Japanese, なかなか (なかなか (nakanaka)) is typically associated with "quite; considerably; not easily (with negative); somehow (with positive)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents An adverb. When used with a negative expression, it means 'not easily' or 'not readily'. When used with a positive expression, it can mean 'quite' or 'rather', suggesting something better than expected..
On the other hand, ごく (ごく (goku)) maps to "quite, very, extremely (often with small quantity/degree)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents An adverb meaning 'very' or 'quite', typically used to emphasize a small quantity, degree, or rarity. Often paired with words like わずか, 一部, 少数.. A literal translation of "quite" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "なかなか"
この問題はなかなか難しいです。
This problem is quite difficult.
Bilingual Context for "ごく"
これはごく一部の人が知っている情報だ。
This is information known by only a very small number of people.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この問題は ＿＿＿ 難しいです。" (Meaning: "This problem is quite difficult.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "なかなか" fits here because it means "quite; considerably; not easily (with negative); somehow (with positive)" in the context of: "This problem is quite difficult.". "ごく" represents "quite, very, extremely (often with small quantity/degree)".