synonym Comparative
一生懸命
VS
いっそのこと
Differences Between "一生懸命" and "いっそのこと"
Option A
一生懸命
Meaning
very hard, with all one's might, diligently
Reading
いっしょうけんめい (isshoukenmei)
Syllabus Level
N4
Practical Example
彼は一生懸命日本語を勉強しています。
He is studying Japanese very hard.
Option B
いっそのこと
Meaning
rather; sooner; might as well; if it comes to that; at this rate
Reading
いっそのこと (issonokoto)
Syllabus Level
N2
Practical Example
こんなに大変なら、いっそのこと会社を辞めてしまおうか。
If it's this difficult, maybe I should just quit the company.
Which one to use?
Select the correct Japanese word for this context
Which word fits this context: "(very hard, with all one's might, diligently)"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- 一生懸命: An adverb used to express putting maximum effort into something. Often used with verbs like 勉強する (benkyou suru), 働く (hataraku), 走る (hashiru).
- いっそのこと: Used when suggesting a more drastic or definitive action in a problematic situation, implying 'if things are going this way, we might as well do X' or 'it would be better to do X completely.' Often conveys a sense of giving up on a current difficult path.
- 一生懸命: An adverb used to express putting maximum effort into something. Often used with verbs like 勉強する (benkyou suru), 働く (hataraku), 走る (hashiru).
- いっそのこと: Used when suggesting a more drastic or definitive action in a problematic situation, implying 'if things are going this way, we might as well do X' or 'it would be better to do X completely.' Often conveys a sense of giving up on a current difficult path.
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