synonym Comparative
幇間
VS
殷鑑不遠
Differences Between "幇間" and "殷鑑不遠"
Option A
幇間
Meaning
jester, clown, buffoon; hanger-on, parasite, sycophant (who flatters others for personal gain)
Reading
ほうかん (hōkan)
Syllabus Level
N1
Practical Example
彼は社長の幇間として、いつもお世辞ばかり言っている。
He always flatters the president as his sycophant.
Option B
殷鑑不遠
Meaning
One should learn from the recent mistakes of others; literally 'the warning example of the Yin dynasty is not far off'.
Reading
いんかんふえん
Syllabus Level
C2PLUS
Practical Example
私は殷鑑不遠に興味があります。
I am interested in One should learn from the recent mistakes of others; literally 'the warning example of the Yin dynasty is not far off'..
Which one to use?
Select the correct Japanese word for this context
Which word fits this context: "(jester, clown, buffoon; hanger-on, parasite, sycophant (who flatters others for personal gain))"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- 幇間: Can refer to a professional jester or entertainer in traditional Japanese culture (like a 'taikomochi') who entertains guests at banquets. It can also carry a negative nuance, referring to someone who flatters others excessively for personal gain, a sycophant. The latter is more common in modern usage. 宴席で客をなごませる職業的な芸人のこと。また、他人にへつらい、自分の利益を図る人のこと（現代ではこちらの意味で使われることが多い）。
- 殷鑑不遠: Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus. (CEFR C2PLUS語彙シラバスにおける重要表現です。)
- 幇間: Can refer to a professional jester or entertainer in traditional Japanese culture (like a 'taikomochi') who entertains guests at banquets. It can also carry a negative nuance, referring to someone who flatters others excessively for personal gain, a sycophant. The latter is more common in modern usage. 宴席で客をなごませる職業的な芸人のこと。また、他人にへつらい、自分の利益を図る人のこと（現代ではこちらの意味で使われることが多い）。
- 殷鑑不遠: Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus. (CEFR C2PLUS語彙シラバスにおける重要表現です。)
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