Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Take" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "take", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
手間取る
てまどる (temadoru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
労する
ろうする (rōsuru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "take" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 手間取る and 労する.
In Japanese, 手間取る (てまどる (temadoru)) is typically associated with "to take time, to be delayed, to be slow (due to difficulty or complications)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Implies that a task or process is taking longer than anticipated because of unexpected difficulties or complexities..
On the other hand, 労する (ろうする (rōsuru)) maps to "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.. A literal translation of "take" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "手間取る"
複雑な申請手続きで、予想以上に手間取ってしまった。
The complicated application process took longer than expected.
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.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "複雑な申請手続きで、予想以上に手間取ってしまった。" (Meaning: "The complicated application process took longer than expected.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "手間取る" fits here because it means "to take time, to be delayed, to be slow (due to difficulty or complications)" in the context of: "The complicated application process took longer than expected.". "労する" represents "to take pains; to labor; to make an effort".