Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "易しい", "簡単な", "容易な", "楽な"
All represent the core concept "easy", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
易しい
やさしい (yasashii)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
簡単な
かんたんな (kantan na)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
容易な
よういな (yōi na)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
楽な
らくな (raku na)
N3 / CEFR
Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "easy" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "易しい", "簡単な", "容易な", "楽な" based on context.
- 易しい (やさしい (yasashii) - Level: N5): Maps to "easy, simple" and is used when An i-adjective. In the context of difficulty, it means 'simple' or 'not difficult.' Note that '優しい'.
- 簡単な (かんたんな (kantan na) - Level: N3): Maps to "easy, simple" and is used when Refers to something that is not difficult or complicated to do, understand, or solve..
- 容易な (よういな (yōi na) - Level: N3): Maps to "easy, simple" and is used when Indicates that something is not difficult to do or understand. Often used in formal or slightly more objective contexts than '簡単な'..
- 楽な (らくな (raku na) - Level: N3): Maps to "easy; comfortable; relaxed" and is used when A な-adjective used to describe something that is not difficult.
Context for "易しい"
この問題はとても易しいです。
This problem is very easy.
Context for "簡単な"
この問題は私にとって簡単です。
This problem is easy for me.
Context for "容易な"
この問題は私にとって非常に容易だった。
This problem was very easy for me.
Context for "楽な"
この椅子は座り心地が楽だ。
This chair is comfortable to sit in.
Synonym Mastery Challenge
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この問題はとても ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "This problem is very easy.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "易しい" is correct here because it represents "easy, simple" in the context: "This problem is very easy.".