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synonym Comparative
肉薄
VS
閉める

Differences Between "肉薄" and "閉める"

Option A
肉薄
Meaning
close in on; press hard upon; draw near (often in a competitive or pursuing context)
Reading
にくはく (nikuhaku)
Syllabus Level
N1
Practical Example
彼はトップランナーに肉薄する勢いで走り続けた。
He continued to run with the momentum of closing in on the top runner.
Option B
閉める
Meaning
to close
Reading
しめる (shimeru)
Syllabus Level
A1
Practical Example
毎日、日本語を練習するために閉める。
Every day, I close to practice Japanese.

Which one to use?

Select the correct Japanese word for this context

Which word fits this context: "(close in on; press hard upon; draw near (often in a competitive or pursuing context))"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- 肉薄: Often used in sports or competitive situations where one is closing in on an opponent or a goal. Literally 'close flesh,' meaning very close proximity. (スポーツや競争の場面で、相手や目標に非常に接近する様子を表す。文字通り「肉が迫る」の意。)
- 閉める: Essential structural term in CEFR A1 vocabulary syllabus. (CEFR A1語彙シラバスにおける重要表現です。)
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