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Quadruple VS

Synonym Boundary: "くる", "〜てくる", "差し掛かる", "かなう"

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

Japanese Option A

くる

くる (kuru)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

〜てくる

〜てくる (te kuru)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option C

差し掛かる

さしかかる (sashikakaru)
N2 / CEFR
Japanese Option D

かなう

かなう (kanau)
N2 / CEFR

Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "come" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "くる", "〜てくる", "差し掛かる", "かなう" based on context.
  • くる (くる (kuru) - Level: N5): Maps to "to come" and is used when Used for movement towards the speaker's current location or a specific point of reference. This is an irregular verb. The polite form is 来ます.
  • 〜てくる (〜てくる (te kuru) - Level: N3): Maps to "to come doing; to start doing; to become (up to now)" and is used when Indicates a change or action that progresses from the past up to the present, or an action moving towards the speaker. It suggests a process or continuation that has led to the current state..
  • 差し掛かる (さしかかる (sashikakaru) - Level: N2): Maps to "to come to (a place), to approach, to be on the verge of" and is used when ある場所や時間、段階に近づくことや、そこに着くことを表します。物理的な場所だけでなく、時期や年齢にも使われます。.
  • かなう (かなう (kanau) - Level: N2): Maps to "to come true (wish); to be realized (dream); to match; to be equal to" and is used when Primarily means for a wish or dream to be fulfilled.
Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!
Context for "くる"
友達が家に来ます。
My friend comes to my house.
Context for "〜てくる"
日本に来てから、ずっと日本語を勉強してきました。
Since coming to Japan, I have been studying Japanese continuously.
Context for "差し掛かる"
列車はまもなく駅に差し掛かるだろう。
The train will soon approach the station.
Context for "かなう"
彼の長年の夢がついにかなった。
His long-cherished dream finally came true.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "友達が家に来ます。" (Meaning: "My friend comes to my house.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "くる" is correct here because it represents "to come" in the context: "My friend comes to my house.".

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