Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "大変", "なかなか", "至って", "いとも"
All represent the core concept "very", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
大変
たいへん (taihen)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
なかなか
なかなか (nakanaka)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
至って
いたって (itatte)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
いとも
いとも (itomo)
N2 / CEFR
Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "very" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "大変", "なかなか", "至って", "いとも" based on context.
- 大変 (たいへん (taihen) - Level: N4): Maps to "very, terribly; difficult, tough; serious, awful" and is used when Can function as an adverb.
- なかなか (なかなか (nakanaka) - Level: N3): Maps to "very; considerably; easily (with negative); more than expected" and is used when Refers to a situation being highly considerably, more than expected, or with negative verbs, expresses that something does not happen easily.
- 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'..
- いとも (いとも (itomo) - Level: N2): Maps to "very, extremely (archaic/literary, often used with adjectives like 簡単, 容易, たやすい)" and is used when An old-fashioned or literary adverb emphasizing 'very' or 'exceedingly.' It often adds a sense of ease or simplicity and usually precedes an adjective..
Context for "大変"
日本語の勉強は大変ですが、楽しいです。
Studying Japanese is difficult, but fun.
Context for "なかなか"
システムの初期ローディング遅延のバグ原因は複雑であり、シニアエンジニアであっても_______解決策が見出せませんでした。
Because the cause of the initial loading delay bug of the system was complex, even the senior engineer could not easily find a solution.
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 "いとも"
その問題はいとも簡単に解決した。
That problem was solved with extreme ease.
Synonym Mastery Challenge
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "日本語の勉強は ＿＿＿ ですが、楽しいです。" (Meaning: "Studying Japanese is difficult, but fun.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "大変" is correct here because it represents "very, terribly; difficult, tough; serious, awful" in the context: "Studying Japanese is difficult, but fun.".