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Quintuple VS

Synonym Boundary: "大丈夫", "全部", "一生懸命", "是非", "ことごとく"

All represent the core concept "all", but require precise selection.

Japanese Option A

大丈夫

だいじょうぶ (daijōbu)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

全部

ぜんぶ (zenbu)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option C

一生懸命

いっしょうけんめい (isshōkenmei)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D

是非

ぜひ (zehi)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option E

ことごとく

ことごとく (kotogotoku)
N3 / CEFR

Quintuple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "all" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "大丈夫", "全部", "一生懸命", "是非", "ことごとく" based on context.
  • 大丈夫 (だいじょうぶ (daijōbu) - Level: N5): Maps to "all right, okay, no problem" and is used when An な-adjective. Used to confirm safety, well-being, or acceptability. Can also be used to refuse politely..
  • 全部 (ぜんぶ (zenbu) - Level: N4): Maps to "all; whole; entirely" and is used when Used to mean 'all' or 'everything'. Can modify nouns or act as an adverb meaning 'completely'. For people, 皆.
  • 一生懸命 (いっしょうけんめい (isshōkenmei) - Level: N3): Maps to "with all one's might; very hard; desperately" and is used when Commonly used as an adverb to describe doing something with great effort, dedication, or intensity. It emphasizes putting maximum effort into an action..
  • 是非 (ぜひ (zehi) - Level: N3): Maps to "by all means, definitely, without fail" and is used when Expresses a strong desire or request, often used with ください.
  • ことごとく (ことごとく (kotogotoku) - Level: N3): Maps to "all, entirely, without exception" and is used when An adverb meaning 'completely' or 'everything without exception'. It implies that nothing was left out. Can be used for positive or negative outcomes, often used in more formal or literary contexts..
Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!
Context for "大丈夫"
転んでしまいましたが、大丈夫です。
I fell down, but I'm okay.
Context for "全部"
このケーキを全部食べました。
I ate this whole cake.
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.
Context for "是非"
今度、ぜひ私の家にも遊びに来てください。
Please do come visit my house next time, by all means.
Context for "ことごとく"
彼の計画はことごとく失敗に終わった。
All his plans ended in failure.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "転んでしまいましたが、 ___ です。" (Meaning: "I fell down, but I'm okay.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "大丈夫" is correct here because it represents "all right, okay, no problem" in the context: "I fell down, but I'm okay.".

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