Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Sweepingly" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "sweepingly", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
いちがいに
いちがいに (ichigai ni)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
一概に
いちがいに (ichigaini)
N1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "sweepingly" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between いちがいに and 一概に.
In Japanese, いちがいに (いちがいに (ichigai ni)) is typically associated with "sweepingly, indiscriminately, without exception (often with negatives)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Usually used with negative statements to mean 'cannot say unconditionally/sweepingly that...' or 'it's not always the case that...'..
On the other hand, 一概に (いちがいに (ichigaini)) maps to "sweepingly, without exception, unconditionally (often in negative)" (Syllabus Level: N1) and represents Used in negative sentences. A literal translation of "sweepingly" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "いちがいに"
新しいものがすべて良いとは一概には言えない。
It cannot be said sweepingly that all new things are good.
Bilingual Context for "一概に"
若者だからといって、一概に経験が浅いとは言えない。
Just because someone is young, you can't generalize that they lack experience.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "新しいものがすべて良いとは一概には言えない。" (Meaning: "It cannot be said sweepingly that all new things are good.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "いちがいに" fits here because it means "sweepingly, indiscriminately, without exception (often with negatives)" in the context of: "It cannot be said sweepingly that all new things are good.". "一概に" represents "sweepingly, without exception, unconditionally (often in negative)".