The second quiz round has one job: exposing words you only recognise. Adjectives and verbs are the usual suspects β nouns attach to pictures easily, but ι γ and ιγ, θ²ΈγγΎγ and εγγΎγ melt together the moment a timer appears. This set concentrates on the pairs and opposites that cause most of that melting.
How to use this page: take the video quiz first, pausing before each reveal to commit to an answer. Then work through the lesson below, and finish with the fresh quiz at the bottom β different questions, same skill. If the bottom quiz feels easy, the lesson worked.
Confusable pairs and opposites
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| ιγ | γ―γγ | fast (speed) |
| ζ©γ | γ―γγ | early (time) β same reading! |
| ι γ | γγγ | slow / late |
| θΏγ | γ‘γγ | near |
| ι γ | γ¨γγ | far |
| ζγγ | γγγγ | bright |
| ζγ | γγγ | dark |
| θ²ΈγγΎγ | γγγΎγ | to lend (give out) |
| εγγΎγ | γγγΎγ | to borrow (take in) |
| ζγγΎγ | γγγγΎγ | to teach / tell |
| ηΏγγΎγ | γͺγγγΎγ | to learn (from someone) |
| εΏγγΎγ | γγγγΎγ | to forget |
| θ¦γγΎγ | γγΌγγΎγ | to memorise, remember |
| ε§γΎγγΎγ | γ―γγΎγγΎγ | to begin (something begins) |
What to actually take away
Learn opposites as pairs, test them as singles. Study θΏγβι γ together so each recalls the other β but when reviewing, quiz them separately, or you will only ever remember them as a chant.
Direction pairs are meaning twins, not synonyms. θ²Έγ (lend) and εγγ (borrow) describe the same event from opposite sides β like γγγ/γγγ in Lesson 7. Attach each to a sentence about yourself: γγγγ― γ¨γγ γ‘γ« γγγ γγγΎγγγ
Same sound, different kanji: γ―γγ. ιγ is fast (speed), ζ©γ is early (time). Listening quizzes cannot tell them apart; reading quizzes love to. Context is the only tiebreaker.
The 40-second rule. When a quiz answer takes longer than a few seconds, do not celebrate getting it right β write it down. Slow-correct today is wrong-under-pressure on test day.
Fresh quiz β same skill, new questions
1. You want to BORROW a pen: γγ³γ οΌΏοΌΏγ γγγ§γγγ
εγγΎγ (borrow β toward you) β εγγ¦γ γγγ§γγ. θ²Έγγ¦ γγ γγ would ask the other person to lend it β same event, opposite verb, depending on whose action you name.
2. γγγ γγγγ― οΌγγ« οΌΏοΌΏγΎγγ (Class begins at 9.)
ε§γΎγγΎγ = something begins by itself (intransitive). ε§γγΎγ would need a person starting something. The class begins β γ―γγΎγγΎγ.
3. Which sentence says the room is DARK?
ζγ (γγγ) = dark; ζγγ bright; θΏγ near; ι γ slow/late. Pairs like ζγγβζγ are the classic recognition-only words this quiz format exposes.
4. γγ§γγγγ οΌΏοΌΏγ§γγγγγΏγ―γ·γΌγ§ γγγΎγγγγ (The train is slow, so let's take a taxi.)
ι γ (γγγ) = slow (also "late" for time). The sentence logic β therefore taxi β requires the train to be the slow option.
Go deeper
- Top 100 N5 verbs β more verb pairs with conjugations
- Adjectives guide β the full opposite-pair tables
- Vocabulary practice test β the missed pairs go straight into the review box
More video lessons
- Video Lesson: Script & Vocabulary Practice
- Video Lesson: Everyday Vocabulary Under Pressure
- Video Lesson: The N5 Particle System
- Video Lesson: The Daily Warm-Up Routine
Video and companion lesson by Rahul Kumar Singh. Published 17 July 2026. The lesson content on this page is original study material written to accompany the video β it extends the quiz, it is not a transcript. Spotted an error? Report it.