ACTION! ALWAYS ACTION!

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The Nuance Thread

This thread’s goal is to finally help you figure out the differences between all those words meaning action, district and consent. In other words, think of it as the bible of nuances, where you’ll be able to come here and figure out the nuances of similar words/synonyms. Why am I making this? It’s very cool to be able to read and know the general meaning of a word. However, when it comes to actually use it, it makes me feel almost as helpless as if I didn’t know the word in the first place. I…

@jprspereira

活動 vs 行動 vs 仕草 vs 作用 (All kinds of Actions)

Obs: My own translations are in parentheses.

活動かつどう ([habitual] activity) refers to those actions/activites that you do as a routine/hobby (think extracurricular activities) or that require some sort of effort during a period of time (think job hunting). It’s also involved in group (animals included)/organizational/company/nature related activities.

• 課外活動かがいかつどう - extracurricular activities​;
• クラブ活動かつどう - club activities​;
• 就職活動しゅうしょくかつどう - job hunting;
• 火山活動かざんかつどう - volcanic activity​;
• ミツバチの活動かつどう - bee activity;

行動こうどう (action) is by far the most generic term of all four. It can be often used to describe one-shot type of actions as well. I’ve found that it can be translated as “conduct” when the context implies a group of actions (his actions/his conduct).

• 行動力こうどうりょく - ability to take action;
• 怪あやしい行動こうどう - suspicious action(s)/conduct.
• 正ただしく行動こうどうする - to act right;
• 自己じこの行動こうどうを見直みなおす - Reevaluate one’s actions;
• レベル6０に達たっするため、行動こうどうに移うつす必要ひつようだ！
  In order to reach level 60, you need to take action!

仕草しぐさ (gesture/mannerism) - This usually refers to one’s small motions. Think playing around with one’s hair, the way one’s smiles, the way one’s acts. This word carries a positive nuance with it. A cool way to visualize this better is to search this word on Google Images.

• 素敵すてきな仕草しぐさ - elegant gesture.
• 犬いぬの可愛かわいい仕草しぐさ - cute dog gestures.

作用さよう (effect/action) - is highly associated with science related actions. From the effects of a pill to the action of an enzyme: if it’s science related and it does something, you use 作用.

• 薬くすりの作用さよう - medication effect;
• 副作用ふくさよう - side effect;
• 作用さようと反作用はんさよう - action and reaction;
• 酵素こうその作用さよう - enzyme action;
• 化学作用かがくさよう - chemical action​;

Thank you https://ejje.weblio.jp/ for helping me with examples in times of creativity crisis.

By Jprspereira