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Quadruple VS

Synonym Boundary: "着る", "はく", "おびる", "帯びる"

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

Japanese Option A

着る

きる (kiru)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B

はく

はく (haku)
N4 / CEFR
Japanese Option C

おびる

おびる (obiru)
N2 / CEFR
Japanese Option D

帯びる

おびる (obiru)
C1 / CEFR

Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "wear" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "着る", "はく", "おびる", "帯びる" based on context.
  • 着る (きる (kiru) - Level: N5): Maps to "to wear (upper body clothing), to put on" and is used when Used specifically for clothing worn on the upper body, such as shirts, jackets, and dresses. The polite form is 着ます.
  • はく (はく (haku) - Level: N4): Maps to "to wear, to put on (lower body clothes, shoes)" and is used when Used for clothes worn on the lower body.
  • おびる (おびる (obiru) - Level: N2): Maps to "to wear (a sword, etc.); to carry; to be tinged with; to be charged with; to have" and is used when Can mean physically carrying something.
  • 帯びる (おびる (obiru) - Level: C1): Maps to "to wear, to have a trace of" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR C1 vocabulary syllabus..
Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!
Context for "着る"
今日は寒いから、厚いセーターを着ます。
It's cold today, so I'll wear a thick sweater.
Context for "はく"
新しい靴をはいて出かけました。
I put on new shoes and went out.
Context for "おびる"
彼はいつも笑顔を帯びている。
He always wears a smile. (He always has a smile on his face.)
Context for "帯びる"
毎日、日本語を練習するために帯びる。
Every day, I wear, to have a trace of to practice Japanese.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "今日は寒いから、厚いセーターを着ます。" (Meaning: "It's cold today, so I'll wear a thick sweater.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "着る" is correct here because it represents "to wear (upper body clothing), to put on" in the context: "It's cold today, so I'll wear a thick sweater.".

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