N1 12-22

当事者

とうじしゃ

person concerned, interested party, related party

面白がる

おもしろがる

Meaning:
To find something amusing or entertaining
Refers to someone taking interest or enjoyment in something, often playfully or lightly.

Usage Example:
子どもたちは変な顔を面白がって笑った。
The children laughed, finding the funny face amusing.

Nuance:
This verb is derived from 面白い (interesting/funny) + the auxiliary verb がる, which shows how someone appears to feel. It often implies someone is enjoying or reacting to something with curiosity or amusement.

熱量

ねつりょう

Meaning:
Heat energy; (figuratively) degree of enthusiasm, zeal, or passion
Refers to the amount of thermal energy in scientific contexts, and in everyday speech, it can describe how much emotional energy or drive someone puts into something.

Usage Example:
彼のプレゼンにはすごい熱量があった。
His presentation had incredible energy and passion.

Nuance:
Literally used in physics and nutrition, but metaphorically it describes the intensity of a person’s emotional or motivational state—often in creative, team, or public settings.

端的

たんてき

Meaning:
Direct, straightforward, or to the point
Describes an expression or statement that is clear, concise, and unambiguous.

Usage Example:
彼は端的に自分の意見を述べた。
He stated his opinion clearly and directly.

Nuance:
Often used in formal or academic settings to praise clarity and brevity. Implies no fluff or vagueness—just the essential message.

解釈

かいしゃく

interpretation, explanation, reading, construction

不備

ふび
defect, deficiency, imperfection, inadequacy, lack

釈明

しゃくめい

Meaning:

Explanation, clarification, or justification
Specifically used to clarify a misunderstanding, defend oneself, or explain one's actions — especially when under suspicion or criticism.

Usage Example:
彼は発言について釈明した。
He gave an explanation about his statement.

Nuance:
Formal and often used in public, official, or media settings.
Implies a situation where someone is expected to explain or excuse something controversial or unclear.

到達

とうたつ

Meaning:

Arrival, reaching, or attainment
Refers to reaching a goal, level, or destination, either physically or abstractly (like achievement or understanding).

Usage Example:
目標に到達するのは簡単ではない。
Reaching the goal is not easy.

Nuance:
Often used in formal, academic, or business contexts.
Can refer to:

• Physical arrival at a point

• Intellectual or skill-based achievement

• Progress toward goals or targets

尋ねる

たずねる
to inquire, to ask, to search, to look for, to look into, to investigate

能動的

のうどうてき

active, proactive, dynamic

自ら

みずから
Meaning:
On one’s own, by oneself, voluntarily
Used to express that someone does something of their own will or personally, without being told.

Usage Example:
彼は自ら責任を取った。
He took responsibility on his own.

Nuance:
A formal or literary word. It emphasizes initiative, personal responsibility, or that the person acted directly, not through others.

身につく

みにつく

Meaning:
To acquire, master, or internalize (knowledge, skills, habits)
Refers to learning something well enough that it becomes a natural part of you — like a skill or behavior that “sticks.”

Usage Example:
毎日練習すれば、自然と会話力が身につく。
If you practice every day, your conversation skills will naturally improve.

Nuance:
Often used in education, training, or personal development. Emphasizes not just knowing something, but absorbing it deeply enough to use it instinctively or fluently.

ひたすら

Meaning:
Single-mindedly, earnestly, or with all one’s heart
Used to describe doing something with full focus, persistence, or intensity — often without distraction or hesitation.

Usage Example:
彼はひたすら走り続けた。
He kept running with total focus.

Nuance:
ひたすら emphasizes a strong, unwavering commitment to one action or goal. It often suggests effort, dedication, or repetition — and can express both positive perseverance and obsessive intensity depending on the context.

吸収

きゅうしゅう

Meaning:
Absorption or assimilation
Refers to taking something in—physically (like water or nutrients), mentally (like knowledge), or organizationally (like mergers).

Usage Example:
スポンジは水を吸収する。
The sponge absorbs water.

Nuance:
Common in scientific, business, and everyday contexts. Can describe physical processes, mental learning, or one company absorbing another.

却って

かえって, 反って

on the contrary, rather, instead, all the more

体系

たいけい

Meaning:
System, structure, or framework
Refers to a logically organized or structured set of ideas, concepts, or elements — often in fields like science, knowledge, or language.

Usage Example:
文法を体系的に学ぶことが大切だ。
It’s important to study grammar in a systematic way.

Nuance:
体系 emphasizes the organized and interconnected nature of something. It’s often used when referring to systems of knowledge, thought, or classification, and implies depth and coherence.

照合

しょうごう

Verification, cross-check, collation, or matching

既存

きそん, きぞん

Existing, pre-existing, or already in existence

軋轢

あつれき
Friction, discord, conflict, or strain (in relationships)

生じる

しょうじる

Meaning:

To occur, to arise, to result, or to happen
Refers to something (often abstract) coming into existence, such as problems, changes, or effects.

Usage Example:
計画の遅れが問題を生じた。
The delay in the plan caused problems.

Nuance:

A formal word, common in writing, business, legal, and academic contexts.
Often used for negative or neutral events: issues, confusion, errors, or effects.

筈

はず

should (be), bound (to be), expected (to be), must (be)

組み込む

くみこむ

to include, to incorporate, to integrate, or to embed

意図

いと

Meaning:
Intention, aim, or purpose
Refers to what someone means to do or plans behind an action — the thought or motivation behind something.

Usage Example:
彼の発言の意図がよく分からなかった。
I didn’t quite understand the intention behind his remark.

Nuance:
A formal word often used in writing, business, or discussion. 意図 focuses on the underlying purpose or deliberate reasoning, even if it’s not openly stated.

資本金

しほんきん

Meaning:
Capital stock or initial investment
Refers to the amount of money invested into a company when it is established, typically by its founders or shareholders.

Usage Example:
この会社の資本金は1億円です。
The company’s capital is 100 million yen.

Nuance:
A business and accounting term. 資本金 represents the financial foundation of a company and appears on its balance sheet. It can also reflect the scale or credibility of a business, especially in Japan.

想定

そうてい

Meaning:
To assume, suppose, or imagine a situation or condition — especially one that hasn’t happened yet.

Usage Example:
最悪の事態を想定して準備する。
Prepare while assuming the worst-case scenario.

Nuance:
Often used in formal, technical, or planning contexts.
Implies a carefully considered hypothesis or scenario based on logic or risk assessment — not just casual guessing.

継続

けいぞく

Continuation, sustainment, or persistence

方針

ほうしん

Meaning:
Policy, plan, or course of action
Refers to a guiding principle or direction that determines how decisions are made or how something proceeds.

Usage Example:
会社の方針に従って行動してください。
Please act according to the company’s policy.

Nuance:
Common in business, government, and education. 方針 implies an overall strategy or guiding framework, rather than detailed instructions. It often reflects values or goals behind a set of actions.

取捨

しゅしゃ

Selection, acceptance or rejection, or picking and choosing

汚染

おせん

pollution, contamination

歪める

ゆがめる

To distort, to twist, to warp, or to misrepresent

付随

ふずい

Meaning:
Accompanying, incidental, or associated with something
Refers to something that naturally occurs along with or as a consequence of something else.

Usage Example:
この作業にはリスクが付随している。
This task involves accompanying risks.

Nuance:
A formal word often used in legal, technical, or business contexts. It suggests that one thing is not the main focus, but is inherent or automatically linked to another.

躊躇

ちゅうちょ

Hesitation, wavering, or indecision

嫌悪感

けんおかん

Meaning:
Feeling of disgust, hatred, or aversion
Describes a strong emotional rejection toward something unpleasant or offensive.

Usage Example:
彼の態度に嫌悪感を抱いた。
I felt a strong sense of disgust toward his attitude.

Nuance:
A formal and serious word. Often used in writing, news, or psychological contexts to describe deep, instinctive aversion — not just mild dislike.

芽生える

めばえる

"to bud," "to sprout," or "to begin to develop.(figuratively for emotions, thoughts, relationships, etc)"

根絶

こんぜつ

"eradication", "extermination", or "complete elimination”,

eliminating something from the root

反動

はんどう

"reaction," "repercussion," or "backlash"

振り回す

ふりまわす

Meaning:
To swing around; to manipulate or be at the mercy of
Literally means to wave or swing something around, but figuratively it refers to controlling, confusing, or overwhelming someone emotionally or mentally.

Usage Example:
彼は感情に振り回されている。
He’s being tossed around by his emotions.

Nuance:
Has both physical and metaphorical uses. In everyday speech, it often implies being dragged into someone else’s drama or losing control because of external forces, especially emotions, schedules, or other people.

捉える

とらえる

Meaning:
To catch, grasp, or perceive. Can mean to physically catch something or to mentally grasp an idea, emotion, or impression.

Usage Example:
彼の言葉をどう捉えるかは人それぞれだ。
How you interpret his words depends on the person.

Nuance:
Often used in abstract or figurative contexts—such as understanding meaning, seizing an opportunity, or perceiving someone's expression or behavior.

主張

しゅちょう

Meaning:
Assertion, claim, or insistence
Refers to expressing one’s opinion, belief, or position strongly and clearly.

Usage Example:
彼は自分の無実を強く主張した。
He strongly asserted his innocence.

Nuance:
Often used in debates, arguments, or legal/political contexts. It can have a neutral or slightly forceful tone, depending on how strongly the claim is made.

抑える

おさえる

Meaning:
To suppress, control, or hold back
Used when stopping or limiting something — like emotions, actions, or physical movement.

Usage Example:
彼は怒りを必死に抑えた。
He desperately held back his anger.

Nuance:
抑える emphasizes restraint or containment, especially of feelings, reactions, or impulses. It can also mean controlling costs, pain, or influence. It’s often used in both emotional and practical contexts.

短絡的

たんらくてき

"simplistic," "hasty," or "short-sighted."

拘る

こだわる

Meaning:
To be particular about, to fuss over, or to be overly concerned with
Describes someone attaching importance to certain details, preferences, or ideas — often with a sense of persistence or inflexibility.

Usage Example:
彼は素材にとても拘っている。
He is very particular about the materials.

Nuance:
拘る can have a positive or negative nuance depending on context. It may show attention to quality or obsession with small things. Commonly used in product descriptions, personal values, or even stubborn behavior.

差額

さがく

Meaning:
The difference in amount, usually referring to a price difference or the balance between two sums of money.

Usage Example:
差額を支払ってください。
Please pay the difference.

Nuance:
Commonly used in finance, sales, refunds, and billing to refer to how much more or less needs to be paid or returned.

許容

きょよう

“tolerance,” “acceptance,” or “permissibility.”

act of allowing or accepting something within certain limits

訴える

うったえる

appealing, expressing, or taking action