Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Take" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "take", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
労する
ろうする (rōsuru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
頭が下がる
あたまがさがる (atamagasagaru)
C1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "take" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 労する and 頭が下がる.
In Japanese, 労する (ろうする (rōsuru)) is typically associated with "to take pains; to labor; to make an effort" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe making a significant effort or expending much labor. Can imply difficulty..
On the other hand, 頭が下がる (あたまがさがる (atamagasagaru)) maps to "to take one's hat off to" (Syllabus Level: C1) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C1 vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "take" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "労する"
この企画を成功させるために、彼は大いに労した。
He greatly labored to make this project successful.
Bilingual Context for "頭が下がる"
毎日、日本語を練習するために頭が下がる。
Every day, I take one's hat off to to practice Japanese.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この企画を成功させるために、彼は大いに労した。" (Meaning: "He greatly labored to make this project successful.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "労する" fits here because it means "to take pains; to labor; to make an effort" in the context of: "He greatly labored to make this project successful.". "頭が下がる" represents "to take one's hat off to".