synonym Comparative
うぬぼれる
VS
徒労
Differences Between "うぬぼれる" and "徒労"
Option A
うぬぼれる
Meaning
to be conceited, to be vain, to be self-important
Reading
うぬぼれる (unuboreru)
Syllabus Level
N2
Practical Example
彼は少し成功しただけで、すぐにうぬぼれてしまった。
He became conceited with just a little success.
Option B
徒労
Meaning
vain effort, fruitless labor, wasted effort
Reading
とろう (torou)
Syllabus Level
N1
Practical Example
何時間もかけて準備したが、会議が中止になりすべて徒労に終わった。
I spent hours preparing, but the meeting was canceled, and it all ended in vain.
Which one to use?
Select the correct Japanese word for this context
Which word fits this context: "(to be conceited, to be vain, to be self-important)"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- うぬぼれる: Always carries a negative connotation. Describes someone having an excessively high opinion of themselves, often without justification, and showing it (自分の能力にうぬぼれる, 美人だとうぬぼれる).
- 徒労: Refers to effort or hard work that ultimately yields no results or proves to be pointless. Often used when someone realizes their efforts were for nothing. (努力や苦労が最終的に何の成果も生まなかったり、無意味であったりする場合に使われます。自分の頑張りが無駄だったと気づいた時などによく用いられます。)
- うぬぼれる: Always carries a negative connotation. Describes someone having an excessively high opinion of themselves, often without justification, and showing it (自分の能力にうぬぼれる, 美人だとうぬぼれる).
- 徒労: Refers to effort or hard work that ultimately yields no results or proves to be pointless. Often used when someone realizes their efforts were for nothing. (努力や苦労が最終的に何の成果も生まなかったり、無意味であったりする場合に使われます。自分の頑張りが無駄だったと気づいた時などによく用いられます。)
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