A main road connecting towns. Also used figuratively, as in 「出世街道」.
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N2介入かいにゅう
「介」 means to come between, and 「入」 means to enter; together they mean to step in between. It refers to a third party stepping in to become involved in the affairs of the parties concerned. Used in expressions like 「軍事介入」 or 「司法介入」, it is a formal word for situations of external intervention. It frequently appears in political, international relations, and organizational contexts.
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N2解任かいにん
「解」 means to undo, and 「任」 means a duty or office; together they mean to undo an office. It refers to removing a person from an office or duty to which they had been appointed. Used in expressions like 「役員を解任する」, in situations where an organization unilaterally relieves someone of office. Frequently appears in legal and organizational contexts.
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N2介抱かいほう
「介」 means to help or to come between, and 「抱」 means to embrace; together they mean to come between and care for someone in one's arms. It refers to caring for a sick person, an injured person, or someone unable to move due to drunkenness. Used in expressions like 「酔った友人を介抱する」, in situations of nursing someone temporarily weakened.
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N2解明かいめい
「解」 means to unravel or to clarify, and 「明」 means to make clear; together they mean to unravel and make clear. It refers to investigating and making clear what has been unknown. Used in expressions like 「真相を解明する」 or 「事故原因の解明」, in situations of uncovering hidden facts.
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N2解約かいやく
「解」 means to undo, and 「約」 means a contract; together they mean to undo a contract. It refers to canceling a contract that has been concluded. Used in expressions like 「契約を解約する」 or 「保険を解約する」, in situations of ending an agreement that has been established.
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N2, N5鍵かぎ
key. A tool for opening or locking a door, etc. 「かぎをかける」 means to lock a door, etc.
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N2額がく
An amount of money; also a frame for displaying a picture or photograph. Besides expressing the size of a sum, as in "保険料の額" or "多額の寄付", it is also used in the sense of a frame, as in "額に入れて飾る". The same "額" read as "ひたい" is a different word meaning the part of the face above the eyebrows.
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N2拡散かくさん
It refers to things spreading and scattering over a wide range. Used in expressions like 「情報が拡散する」, 「ガスが拡散する」, or 「噂が拡散する」, in situations of spreading or being transmitted widely from one point to the surroundings.
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N2学識がくしき
「学」 means learning, and 「識」 means knowledge; together they refer to knowledge obtained through learning. It refers to deep knowledge acquired through scholarship. Used in expressions like 「学識経験者」 or 「高い学識」, it is a formal word for specialized insight acquired through long years of research.
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N2革新かくしん
「革」 means to renew, and 「新」 means new; together they mean to renew and make new. It refers to greatly reforming old institutions or structures. Used in expressions like 「技術革新」 or 「革新的な発想」, in situations of fundamentally changing how things have been. The word with the opposite meaning is 「保守」.
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N2学説がくせつ
「学」 means learning or scholarship, and 「説」 means opinion or doctrine; together they refer to a doctrine in scholarship. It refers to a doctrine or view about a matter put forward through academic research. Used in expressions like 「新しい学説」 or 「対立する学説」, referring to a theory put forward by a researcher.
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N2加減かげん
To adjust the degree of something to just the right level; also, that condition itself.
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N2過酷かこく
「過」 means excessive, and 「酷」 means cruel; together they mean cruelty that exceeds proper measure. It refers to a degree of severity that surpasses the limit one can endure. Used in expressions like 「過酷な労働」 or 「過酷な環境」, in situations where the burden on people or things becomes extremely heavy.
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N2微かかすか
It describes a manner in which sound, light, or smell is so small that it can only barely be perceived. Used in expressions like 「微かな音」 or 「微かに見える」, it expresses a faint and unclear sensation.
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N2過疎かそ
「過」 means excessive, and 「疎」 means sparse; together they mean excessively sparse. It refers to a state in which a region's population has sharply decreased, making it difficult to maintain social life. Used in expressions like 「過疎化」 or 「過疎地域」, in contexts speaking of regional decline. The word with the opposite meaning is 「過密」.
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N2偏るかたよる
It refers to overall balance breaking down and shifting to one side. Used in expressions like 「栄養が偏る」 or 「意見が偏る」, in situations where what should originally be even has tilted to one side.
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N2活性化かっせいか
It refers to activity becoming lively, or to making it lively. Used in expressions like 「地域の活性化」 or 「経済を活性化する」, in situations of making the movement of an organization, a region, or a market vigorous.
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N2合致がっち
「合」 means to fit, and 「致」 means to arrive precisely; together they mean to fit precisely as one. It refers to two or more matters fitting together exactly as one. Used in expressions like 「条件に合致する」 or 「証言と合致する」, it is a formal word used when content or conditions completely overlap.
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N2かつてかつて
An adverb referring to a certain period in the past, meaning "formerly" or "long ago." Used in expressions like「かつてない規模」(an unprecedented scale)、「かつて栄えた街」(a town that once flourished). Although it can be written with the kanji「嘗て」, the hiragana form is more common.
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N2過程かてい
The course something follows as it progresses toward a result.
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N2仮定かてい
To tentatively treat something not yet certain as being true, and proceed on that basis.
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N2〜N4家庭かてい
The place where family members, such as parents and children, live together. Example: 「家庭で作る料理」 (home-cooked food).
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N2叶えるかなえる
It refers to making a wish or dream come true. Used in expressions like 「夢を叶える」 or 「願いを叶える」, in situations of giving actual form to what one had hoped for.
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N2庇うかばう
It refers to protecting someone from attack or criticism. Used in expressions like 「子を庇う」 or 「部下を庇う」, in situations of stepping in between to protect someone in a weaker position.
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N2華美かび
「華」 means showy, and 「美」 means beautiful; the word combines two synonymous characters. It describes appearances that are flashy and excessively showy. Used in expressions like 「華美な装飾」 or 「華美に走る」, it expresses extravagant and excessive showiness. It is used negatively in situations that should be simple.
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N2過密かみつ
「過」 means excessive, and 「密」 means densely gathered; together they mean density that exceeds the proper measure. It refers to a state in which people or things are gathered beyond limit. Used in expressions like 「過密都市」 or 「過密スケジュール」, in contexts where there is no room in space or time. The word with the opposite meaning is 「過疎」.
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N2仮面かめん
A mask put on the face. By metaphor it is also used in the sense of "an apparent appearance that hides one's true heart," used most often in situations of expressing the discrepancy between a person's outer face and inner self, as in 「仮面をかぶる」 or 「仮面の下」.
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N2殻から
The hard part covering the outside of an object. Used for eggs, shells, nuts, and the like. By metaphor it is also used in the sense of "the state of shutting oneself up inside," used most often in situations of expressing the human psyche, as in 「殻に閉じこもる」 or 「殻を破る」.
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N2絡むからむ
It refers to string-like objects winding around. By metaphor it is also used in the senses of "matters being complexly related" or "a person clinging persistently," as in 「利害が絡む」 or 「酔って絡む」.
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N2華麗かれい
「華」 means showy, and 「麗」 means beautiful; the word combines two synonymous characters. It describes a state of being showy and beautiful. Used in expressions like 「華麗な舞」 or 「華麗な経歴」, it expresses eye-catching beauty and splendor. It is used for visually striking subjects like movements and careers.
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N2過労死かろうし
It refers to death caused by excessive labor. Used in expressions like 「過労死が問題になる」 or 「過労死認定」, it is used in contexts where health damage from long working hours is discussed as a social issue.
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N2頑強がんきょう
「頑」 means stubborn, and 「強」 means strong; together they mean stubbornly strong. It describes the manner of not yielding to persuasion or pressure and stubbornly persisting. Used in expressions like 「頑強に抵抗する」 or 「頑強な反対」, it expresses the strength of an attitude or stance. It is also sometimes used with a slightly negative implication.
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N2玩具がんぐ
「玩」 means to play with, and 「具」 means a tool; together they refer to a tool for playing. A toy. It is a formal notation used as industry terminology and product classification, as in 「玩具メーカー」 or 「教育玩具」. In everyday speech, the reading 「おもちゃ」 is more common.
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N2簡潔かんけつ
Being concise and easy to understand, without excess and neatly summarized.
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N2還元かんげん
「還」 means to return, and 「元」 means the origin; together they mean to return to the source. It refers to returning what one has obtained to the original people or place. Used in expressions like 「利益を社会に還元する」 or 「消費者に還元する」, in situations of redistributing gains from corporate activity to relevant parties.
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N2換算かんさん
To recalculate a quantity in one unit into another unit.
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N2干渉かんしょう
To meddle in another person's affairs and interfere.
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N2肝心かんじん
「肝」 means the liver, and 「心」 means the heart; both characters refer to internal organs essential to life, and from this they came to express the most vital part. It refers to the most important part of a matter. Used in expressions like 「肝心の本人」 or 「肝心なところ」, expressing the indispensable core point. It is mostly used in the forms 「肝心の〜」 or 「肝心な〜」.
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N2寛大かんだい
「寛」 means broad, and 「大」 means large; together they mean a broad and large heart. It describes the manner of not severely blaming others' mistakes but receiving them with a generous heart. Used in expressions like 「寛大な処置」 or 「寛大に扱う」, it expresses an attitude of forgiveness toward others. It is often used as the attitude of those in higher positions.
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N2歓待かんたい
「歓」 means to rejoice, and 「待」 means to entertain a guest; together they mean to entertain joyously. It refers to receiving a guest from the heart. Used in expressions like 「手厚い歓待を受ける」, it is a formal word for polite and warm hospitality. It is used in formal situations and travel writing.
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N2鑑定かんてい
To examine and judge whether an object is genuine, as well as its value and quality.
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N2寒波かんぱ
A meteorological phenomenon in which strong cold air sweeps over a wide area in a short period. Used in expressions like 「寒波が襲う」 or 「寒波の影響」, it is a formal word used in weather forecasts and meteorological reports.
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N2甘味かんみ
A general term for sweet foods and confections. Used as in 「甘味処」 (a sweets shop) or 「食後の甘味」 (a sweet after a meal). When the same written form is read 「あまみ」, it refers to a sweet taste itself, so the meaning differs.
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N2冠かんむり
(1) An ornament worn on the head that represents rank or honor. 「王の冠」. (2) A radical placed at the top of a kanji. 「うかんむり」.
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N2勧誘かんゆう
To encourage and invite someone to do something.
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N2寛容かんよう
「寛」 means broad or generous, and 「容」 means to accept; together they mean to accept with a broad heart. It refers to accepting and acknowledging opinions and actions different from one's own. Used in expressions like 「寛容な精神」 or 「寛容さに欠ける」, it expresses an attitude of respecting diversity. It is used with a broader ideological and social scope than 「寛大」.
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N2還暦かんれき
「還」 means to return, and 「暦」 means calendar; together they mean the calendar returning to its origin. Originating from the fact that the cycle of the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches makes one full round and returns to the same combination as the year of one's birth, it refers to the celebration of one's sixty-first year by traditional Japanese counting. Used in expressions like 「還暦を迎える」 or 「還暦祝い」, it is a word for a milestone in life.
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N2緩和かんわ
「緩」 means to loosen, and 「和」 means to soften; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to softening severity or intensity and easing it. Used in expressions like 「規制緩和」, 「緊張緩和」, or 「痛みを緩和する」, in situations of weakening some strong state. It is a formal word frequently appearing in political, medical, and economic contexts.
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N2危害きがい
It refers to causing harm to a person's body or life. Used in expressions like 「危害を加える」 or 「危害を及ぼす」. It is mostly used in combination with 「加える/及ぶ/加えられる」, and is a formal word frequently appearing in journalism and law.
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