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
帥先
そっせん
C2PLUS / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "take" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 手間取る and 帥先.
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, 帥先 (そっせん) maps to "to take the lead; to take the initiative; to set an example (a more classical or formal version of 率先)" (Syllabus Level: C2PLUS) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus.. 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 "帥先"
毎日、日本語を練習するために帥先。
Every day, I take the lead; to take the initiative; to set an example (a more classical or formal version of 率先) to practice Japanese.
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.". "帥先" represents "to take the lead; to take the initiative; to set an example (a more classical or formal version of 率先)".