🦅 Project Eagle
Quadruple VS

Synonym Boundary: "置きます", "入れる", "仕舞う", "挟む"

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

Japanese Option A

置きます

おきます (okimasu)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

入れる

いれる (ireru)
N5 / 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 "置きます", "入れる", "仕舞う", "挟む" based on context.
  • 置きます (おきます (okimasu) - Level: N5): Maps to "to put, to place" and is used when Polite form of 置く.
  • 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.
  • 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 "置きます"
机の上に本を置きます。
I put the book on the desk.
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 "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: "机の上に本を ___ 。" (Meaning: "I put the book on the desk.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "置きます" is correct here because it represents "to put, to place" in the context: "I put the book on the desk.".