Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Visit" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "visit", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
お邪魔する
おじゃまする (o-jama suru)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
見舞う
みまう (mimau)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "visit" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between お邪魔する and 見舞う.
In Japanese, お邪魔する (おじゃまする (o-jama suru)) is typically associated with "to visit (someone's house), to bother, to interrupt (humble)" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Humble expression used when visiting someone's home or office, implying that one might be bothering them. Also used when interrupting a conversation or activity..
On the other hand, 見舞う (みまう (mimau)) maps to "to visit (a sick person, a disaster area); to suffer from, to be afflicted with (a disaster)" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Transitive verb. Can be used for visiting people. A literal translation of "visit" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "お邪魔する"
今週末、先生のお宅にお邪魔します。
I will visit my teacher's house this weekend.
Bilingual Context for "見舞う"
先日、地震に見舞われた地域を見舞った。
The other day, I visited the area that was hit by the earthquake.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "今週末、先生のお宅にお邪魔します。" (Meaning: "I will visit my teacher's house this weekend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "お邪魔する" fits here because it means "to visit (someone's house), to bother, to interrupt (humble)" in the context of: "I will visit my teacher's house this weekend.". "見舞う" represents "to visit (a sick person, a disaster area); to suffer from, to be afflicted with (a disaster)".