🦅 Project Eagle
Quadruple VS

Synonym Boundary: "入れる", "被る", "仕舞う", "挟む"

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

Japanese Option A

入れる

いれる (ireru)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

被る

かぶる (kaburu)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option C

仕舞う

しまう (shimau)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D

挟む

はさむ (hasamu)
B2 / CEFR

Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "put" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "入れる", "被る", "仕舞う", "挟む" based on context.
  • 入れる (いれる (ireru) - Level: N5): Maps to "to put in, to insert" and is used when 物を何かの中に入れるときに使います。Polite form is 入れます.
  • 被る (かぶる (kaburu) - Level: N4): Maps to "to put on (a hat, helmet, etc.), to wear over one's head" and is used when Specifically used for items worn on the head.
  • 仕舞う (しまう (shimau) - Level: N3): Maps to "to put away, to finish, to store, to close (a shop)" and is used when As a main verb, it primarily means to put something away in its designated place or to finish an activity/close a business. As an auxiliary verb.
  • 挟む (はさむ (hasamu) - Level: B2): Maps to "to put between, to pinch" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR B2 vocabulary syllabus..
Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!
Context for "入れる"
コーヒーに砂糖を入れます。
I put sugar in my coffee.
Context for "被る"
寒いので、帽子を被りました。
It was cold, so I put on a hat.
Context for "仕舞う"
使ったおもちゃを箱に仕舞った。
I put away the toys I used into the box.
Context for "挟む"
毎日、日本語を練習するために挟む。
Every day, I put between, to pinch to practice Japanese.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "コーヒーに砂糖を入れます。" (Meaning: "I put sugar in my coffee.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "入れる" is correct here because it represents "to put in, to insert" in the context: "I put sugar in my coffee.".

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