Based on @jprspereira great Nuance Thread template.
This thread’s goal is to finally help you figure out why sometimes the same word can be written with alternate kanji and the nuances it entails (think 作る vs 造る vs 創る, all meaning roughly “to make” but with different nuances)
Why am I making this?
Thanks to Wanikani, your Kanji game is getting strong, vocab too, and it’s time to dive into native materials… But Japanese will throw another curve at you ! Most of the basic vocabulary is sometimes written with kanji that you didn’t learn from Wanikani (often non joyou as well) and it can be quite disturbing at first. This alternate kanji technique is purely a written device, made possible by the kanji system to convey fine shade of nuance, and it’s quite beautiful.
How is this going to work?
This post will be a wiki, meaning that everyone can add their own notes about vocab nuances.
- This is not limited to WK kanji and vocab
- Word sounding the same but with completely different meaning (like how はし means both bridge and chopstick) are not really in the spirit of this thread but may be interesting too.
Resources
Tofugu amazing article on this matter
List of Nuances:
つくる : 作る vs 造る vs 創る (To make)
作る main kanji
造る usually for large-scale building, manufacturing, etc
創る usually for creating (something new)
From jisho.org
のむ : 飲む vs 呑む vs 服む (To drink)
飲む main kanji
呑む is often used metaphorically
服む is often used for medicine
From jisho.org
あう : 会う vs 逢う vs 遭う (to meet)
会う main kanji
逢う is often used for close friends, etc. and may be associated with drama or pathos
example
「そうして墓の傍に待っていて下さい。また逢いに来ますから。」
Then wait for me at my graveside, for I shall come back to see you again
Natsume Sōseki Ten Nights of Dreams
遭う may have an undesirable nuance
example
「あの死骸の男男には、確かに昨日遭っております。」
Yes, I most certainly saw the dead man yesterday
Note : The person talking saw a man on the road the previous day, a bit before this man got murdered. Talking about encountering someone we know got killed later is quite uncomfortable, thus the use of 遭う
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa * In a Grove*
From jisho.org
はく : 履く vs 穿く (to wear shoes/pants/sword)
履く main kanji, but used usually more for footwear
穿く to wear over legs such as pants and skirt
example
足には大きな藁沓を穿いていた。この時代の藁沓は深いものであった。
I was wearing huge straw boots on my feet. Straw boots in those times were very high indeed.
(Note : 穿いていた was probably chosen to emphasize how tall those straw boots were. Later in the text, they are described as going over the knee, almost like pants.)
Natsume Sōseki Ten Nights of Dreams
佩く carrying a sword affixed at the hip
あお : 青 vs 蒼 vs 碧 (blue)
This entry is especially difficult, because 青/蒼/碧 have a very wide range of meaning. Being very old kanji and concept, they also appear in a tons of fixed expression with often surprising nuance. Please take the following with a ton of salt
青 main kanji
- blue sky
- when associated with plant, immaturity, youthfulness
- countless amount of expression
蒼 darker and thicker than 青
- Ocean, but not the tropical blue lagoon style, ocean with depth
- For plants it’s thick, dense, ripe
example
その波は頗る広いものであった。際限もなく蒼く見える。時には紫にもなった。
The wave-furrowed sea was oppressively vast: an infinite-seeming expanse of blue that turned at times to purple.
Natsume Sōseki Ten Nights of Dreams
碧 The “midori of aoi”
- The greenest あおい
- transparent
- quartz, jasper
きる : 切る vs 斬る vs 伐る vs 截る(to cut)
切る main kanji
斬る
- slice/cut using a blade
- kill someone using a blade
伐る to cut down tree, to fell
example
私は今朝いつもの通り、裏山の杉を伐りに参りました。
This morning, just as I always do, I went off to cut down cedars on the mountainside.
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa In a Grove
截る specifically used for cutting clothes
In progress
みる : 見る vs 観る vs 視る vs 診る vs 看る
見る main kanji
観る actively watch a performance, sports, or a movie. When watching TV, 見る would be lightly watching what happen to be broadcasted, while 観る carry a more serious feeling
視る Looking at things in detail to investigate and observe
診る to examine. (almost always medically)
看る to watch over, to look after (often medically), to take care of
わかる : 分かる vs 解かる vs 判る (to understand)
分かる main kanji
解かる understand through thinking and reasoning
判る being able to distinguish
Todo
歌う vs 唄う vs 謡う vs 詠う vs 唱う vs 謳う
目 vs 眼, 瞳 vs 眸, 嫌な vs 厭な, 波 vs 浪
So I’m given up on the wiki idea. It would be nice if people post their own note or ideas about kanji variant and I will add them to the main post !