N5–N1 Paraphrase & Synonyms (言い換え類義)

How the question works

A sentence contains a target word, and you choose the option that could replace it with the closest meaning. The trick is that the wrong choices have clearly different meanings — so this isn't about grammar fit, it's about knowing which word genuinely means the same thing.

Strong performance here comes from learning words in small meaning-families rather than one at a time, so that a synonym feels obvious instead of unfamiliar.

Strategy & common traps

Define the target word in your head first, then look for the option that matches that definition — don't let a word that merely "feels related" pull you in. A frequent trap is choosing a word from the same topic (e.g. another cooking word) that isn't actually a synonym.

When two options seem close, think about register and nuance: is one more formal, stronger, or more specific than the target? The best answer matches not just the rough meaning but the flavour of the original.

About this N5–N1 drill

The 1228 questions use synonyms mined from overlapping dictionary meanings, with distractors chosen to have no meaning overlap with the target — so the correct answer is a real synonym and the wrong ones are clearly not. Each explanation shows the pairing and the shared meaning.

At N5 (236 questions)

At N5 the synonyms are basic everyday pairs, so a solid core vocabulary is usually enough to see the match.

At N4 (250 questions)

At N4 you begin swapping a whole phrase for a single word, so recognising set expressions is what pays off.

At N3 (249 questions)

At N3 the near-synonyms carry different shades, and the genuinely closest word — not merely a related one — is the answer.

At N2 (247 questions)

At N2 register separates the options: a casual word and its formal twin share a meaning, but only one fits the sentence.

At N1 (246 questions)

At N1 the synonyms are often literary or idiomatic, testing the kind of breadth you build mainly by reading widely.