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Hi guys! Today I will be talking about Japanese homophones and when to use them. These are the ones that I used to have a lot of trouble with, but there are a lot more so I encourage you to research/study more homophones.
1. あつい
暑い “used when talking about the weather (temperature)”
熱い “hot to the touch” or “full of enthusiasm”
厚い “to be thick”
Examples:
今年の夏は特に暑いですね。 : This summer is especially hot.
このスープは熱すぎて食べれない。: This soup is too hot to eat.
サリーは桜のセブチへの熱い思いに心を動かされた。: Sally was moved by Sakura’s enthusiasm towards SEVENTEEN.
このシャツの記事はすごく厚いね。: This shirt’s fabric is very thick.
2. あう
会う “to meet someone”
合う “to go together/match” or “to come across something”
Examples:
京都でお気に入りのYouTuberに出会った。: I bumped into a YouTuber I like in Kyoto.
この色は肌色に合わない。: This colour doesn’t complement my skin tone.
一生に一度の大チャンスに巡り合った。: I came across a once in a lifetime chance.
3. あたたかい
暖かい “warm weather”
温かい “warm to the touch” or “having emotion/empathy”
Examples:
この部屋は暖かいですね。: This room is warm.
のどが痛いから温かい飲み物を飲みたいな。: I want something warm to drink because I have a sore throat.
とても心温まる話でした。: It was a very heartwarming story.
4. あし
足 “a foot or feet from ankle outwards”
脚* “legs from the waist down” or “something that serves a similar purpose”
Examples
そのアイドルの足はめっちゃでかいね！: That idol’s feet are really big!
私の脚が長かったらよかったな。:I wish my legs were long.
椅子の脚が壊れてますよ。: The chair leg is broken.
*While there is an official distinction between “足” and “脚”, there are many cases in which “足” is used to write “脚”. This is because the kanji is easier to write!
5. はやい
早い “early”
速い “fast”
Examples:
早起きだね。: You wake up early.
佐藤さんって脚速い。: Satou-san is a fast runner.
Related Post:
50 Adjectives for Personality in Japanese
Japanese Vocabulary List: Transitive Verb
