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Quintuple VS

Synonym Boundary: "一生懸命", "幼い", "大いに", "至って", "非常に"

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

Japanese Option A

一生懸命

いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

幼い

おさない (osanai)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option C

大いに

おおいに (ōini)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D

至って

いたって (itatte)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option E

非常に

ひじょうに (hijō ni)
N3 / CEFR

Quintuple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "very" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "一生懸命", "幼い", "大いに", "至って", "非常に" based on context.
  • 一生懸命 (いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei) - Level: N4): Maps to "very hard, with all one's might, diligently" and is used when An adverb used to express putting maximum effort into something. Often used with verbs like 勉強する.
  • 幼い (おさない (osanai) - Level: N3): Maps to "very young, childish, immature" and is used when Describes someone or something as very young or immature. Can apply to age, appearance, or behavior..
  • 大いに (おおいに (ōini) - Level: N3): Maps to "very; greatly; largely; much; to a large extent" and is used when An adverb emphasizing a large degree or extent. Often used in formal or literary contexts, but also in daily conversation to express strong feelings or enthusiasm..
  • 至って (いたって (itatte) - Level: N3): Maps to "very; extremely; exceedingly" and is used when An adverb used to emphasize a high degree of something, often implying a surprising or unexpected extent. It's a slightly more formal expression than 'とても'..
  • 非常に (ひじょうに (hijō ni) - Level: N3): Maps to "very, extremely, exceedingly" and is used when An adverb used to express a high degree of something. More formal and stronger than 'とても.
Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!
Context for "一生懸命"
彼は一生懸命日本語を勉強しています。
He is studying Japanese very hard.
Context for "幼い"
彼は見た目は大人だが、考え方がまだ幼い。
He looks like an adult, but his way of thinking is still childish.
Context for "大いに"
彼の意見は大いに参考になった。
His opinion was very helpful.
Context for "至って"
彼女の態度は至って普通だった。
Her attitude was extremely ordinary.
Context for "非常に"
この問題は非常に難しいです。
This problem is extremely difficult.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "彼は ___ 日本語を勉強しています。" (Meaning: "He is studying Japanese very hard.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "一生懸命" is correct here because it represents "very hard, with all one's might, diligently" in the context: "He is studying Japanese very hard.".

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