Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "医者", "いしゃ", "お医者さん", "医師"
All represent the core concept "doctor", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
医者
いしゃ (isha)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
いしゃ
いしゃ (isha)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
お医者さん
おいしゃさん (oisha-san)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
医師
いし (ishi)
N3 / CEFR
Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "doctor" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "医者", "いしゃ", "お医者さん", "医師" based on context.
- 医者 (いしゃ (isha) - Level: N5): Maps to "doctor" and is used when Noun. Refers to a medical doctor. Often used when talking about visiting a clinic or hospital..
- いしゃ (いしゃ (isha) - Level: N5): Maps to "doctor" and is used when A medical professional. Often used when talking about visiting a hospital or clinic..
- お医者さん (おいしゃさん (oisha-san) - Level: N4): Maps to "doctor" and is used when A polite way to refer to a doctor or a medical clinic/hospital. It adds 'お' as a polite prefix and 'さん' as a honorific suffix..
- 医師 (いし (ishi) - Level: N3): Maps to "doctor, physician" and is used when A formal term for a medical professional who diagnoses and treats illnesses. Often used in official contexts or when referring to the profession..
Context for "医者"
熱があるので、医者に行きました。
I had a fever, so I went to the doctor.
Context for "いしゃ"
熱があるから、医者に行きます。
I have a fever, so I'm going to the doctor.
Context for "お医者さん"
具合が悪いので、お医者さんに行きます。
I'm not feeling well, so I'm going to the doctor (clinic).
Context for "医師"
彼は信頼できる医師として知られている。
He is known as a reliable doctor.
Synonym Mastery Challenge
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "熱があるので、 ＿＿＿ に行きました。" (Meaning: "I had a fever, so I went to the doctor.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "医者" is correct here because it represents "doctor" in the context: "I had a fever, so I went to the doctor.".