Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Very" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "very", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
一生懸命
いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
なかなか
なかなか (nakanaka)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "very" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 一生懸命 and なかなか.
In Japanese, 一生懸命 (いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei)) is typically associated with "very hard, with all one's might, diligently" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents An adverb used to express putting maximum effort into something. Often used with verbs like 勉強する.
On the other hand, なかなか (なかなか (nakanaka)) maps to "very; considerably; easily (with negative); more than expected" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to a situation being highly considerably, more than expected, or with negative verbs, expresses that something does not happen easily. A literal translation of "very" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "一生懸命"
彼は一生懸命日本語を勉強しています。
He is studying Japanese very hard.
Bilingual Context for "なかなか"
システムの初期ローディング遅延のバグ原因は複雑であり、シニアエンジニアであっても_______解決策が見出せませんでした。
Because the cause of the initial loading delay bug of the system was complex, even the senior engineer could not easily find a solution.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼は ＿＿＿ 日本語を勉強しています。" (Meaning: "He is studying Japanese very hard.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "一生懸命" fits here because it means "very hard, with all one's might, diligently" in the context of: "He is studying Japanese very hard.". "なかなか" represents "very; considerably; easily (with negative); more than expected".