Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "大変", "一生懸命", "大いに", "至って"
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
一生懸命
いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei)
N4 / 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
Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "very" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "大変", "一生懸命", "大いに", "至って" 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.
- 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.
- 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'..
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 "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 "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.
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.".