Quintuple VS
Synonym Boundary: "調べる", "世話する", "振り返る", "顧みる", "見渡す"
All represent the core concept "look", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
調べる
しらべる (shiraberu)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
世話する
せわする (sewa suru)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
振り返る
ふりかえる (furikaeru)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
顧みる
かえりみる (kaerimiru)
N2 / CEFR
Japanese Option E
見渡す
みわたす (miwatasu)
N2 / CEFR
Quintuple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "look" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "調べる", "世話する", "振り返る", "顧みる", "見渡す" based on context.
- 調べる (しらべる (shiraberu) - Level: N4): Maps to "to look up; to check; to investigate" and is used when Used for looking up information.
- 世話する (せわする (sewa suru) - Level: N3): Maps to "to look after; to take care of; to attend to; to look out for" and is used when Refers to looking after someone.
- 振り返る (ふりかえる (furikaeru) - Level: N3): Maps to "to look back, to turn around; to reflect on (the past)" and is used when Can be used literally.
- 顧みる (かえりみる (kaerimiru) - Level: N2): Maps to "to look back (on the past), to reflect, to review, to consider (one's duty/self)" and is used when 過去の出来事や自分の行いを振り返って考えること。反省や回想の意味合いが強い。また、周囲の状況や人のことを気にかける、という意味でも使う。To look back and reflect on past events or one's own actions, with a strong connotation of introspection or reminiscence. Can also mean to care about surrounding circumstances or people..
- 見渡す (みわたす (miwatasu) - Level: N2): Maps to "to look out over, to survey (a scene), to gaze across" and is used when 高い場所から広い範囲全体に目をやって景色や状況を眺めることを指します。.
Context for "調べる"
辞書で言葉の意味を調べました。
I looked up the meaning of the word in the dictionary.
Context for "世話する"
オフィスの休憩エリアをスマートに緑化するため、彼は週末にも自動給水センサーと連携して植物をスマートに_______ました。
In order to smartly greenify the office break area, he smartly took care of the plants in coordination with the automatic watering sensor even on weekends.
Context for "振り返る"
過去を振り返ると、いろいろな思い出が蘇る。
When I look back at the past, many memories revive.
Context for "顧みる"
自分の過去の行動を顧みて反省した。
I reflected on my past actions and regretted them.
Context for "見渡す"
山の頂上から街全体を見渡した。
I looked out over the entire city from the mountaintop.
Synonym Mastery Challenge
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "辞書で言葉の意味を調べました。" (Meaning: "I looked up the meaning of the word in the dictionary.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "調べる" is correct here because it represents "to look up; to check; to investigate" in the context: "I looked up the meaning of the word in the dictionary.".