Let's simplify the difference:

1. きみょう (kimyō - 奇妙):

Meaning: Weird or strange in a noticeable way.
Example: "That’s a strange story."
Japanese: 奇妙な話だね。
Romaji: Kimyō na hanashi da ne.

2. みょう (myō - 妙):

Meaning: Odd, but in a more subtle or mysterious way.
Example: "This feels a bit odd."
Japanese: 妙な感じがする。
Romaji: Myō na kanji ga suru.

Simple Difference:

きみょう is used when something is clearly strange.

みょう is used when something feels a little odd or mysterious, but not in an obvious way.

STRANGELY, on the tree(ki) grew bright pink (myou)ld.

In an attempt to seem more cool to his people, Kim Jong Un started saying "Wassup, it's KIM, YO!", but it was just STRANGE/PECULIAR.

Chemotherapy きみょう can have strange/odd side effects

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is ジョジョの奇妙な冒険

Bo and Ken{ぼうけん} (risked)冒 going to an (inaccessible place)険 for an adventure.

We BOOKED AN amazing vacation, with loads of adventures and even a skydive.

On an adventure to fix a BROKEN (ぼうけん) portal to get home

Rick and Morty always go on broken ぼうけん adventures, they always go to risky 冒 inaccessible places 険

He was sent into せんとう.

紐/チュウ→ニュー　lace, ribbon
育/イク　→ヨーク　rear, raise

Typically used in corporate or political settings, e.g. we (my company).

More formal and stiffer than 私達, but not used as often. Recently, more people use 私達 even in formal settings.

われわれ ≈ we are, we are

この　cannot stand alone and must be used with a noun

これ　works as a placeholder and is its "own thing"

I liked what one comment said: you can remember the difference by thinking of この　containing the の, like you are saying "これ　の　_____"

[www.reddit.com]
[www.nhk.or.jp]

Difference between この and これ:
この is adjectival and cannot be used on its own. It's always "pointing" to something. (Ex. このラーメンは美味しい). A way to remember this is that この is using the possesive の, so it literally means ___ of this.

これ however acts more like a noun an can be used on its own in a sentence. (Ex. これは美味しい).

In conclusion, without context, この would mean "this __" or "this one __" and これ would mean "this".

高齢者(こうれいしゃ) : Used mainly in text/news.
老人(ろうじん) : Very informal, better off not using this.
お年寄り(おとしより) : Not used often in spoken or written text.
ご年配(ごねんぱい) : This is the best option to address the elderly. e.g. ご年配の方々

All old people use wheelchairs, so you roll them. They're ROLL-じん.

Most Ronin don't live to become a ろうじん

You may know ( しる ) of the story of Alice in Wonderland, but in order to comprehend ( わかる ) the book it has to be written in a language you can read!

Although 知る is frequently translated as "to know" it might better be translated as "to learn" because it describes the change from not knowing to knowing, hence why you have to put it into ている form to express the state of knowing.

When you want to say that you know something "知ります" would be wrong and mean rather "I am finding it out right know".

To refer to the state of knowing something and not the action of acquiring knowledge use
知っている and 知っています.

the kanji looks like a person holding a book
book = understand

you understand that she (Shi ru)rules here, right?

SHIRU (Sir), do you understand?

"Shiru" sounds like "she rue".

Imagine someone saying, "She rues the day she didn’t know the answer," emphasizing the importance of knowing something.

Sounds like she knew. So she is aware of. She is conscious of.

She (shi) knew (rue)

Don't try to SHILL me, I already know.

I need to KNOW 知る (しる) what’s in that SOUP 汁 (しる)

She「し」 holds a Japanese language book 知, there are many る-les in it that she wants to know.

Shi-rooms will expand your consciousness.

いや can also be used to just mean 'no', usually いや is on it's own if you want to say no.
いや is more informal then いいえ.

It also conveys a stronger feeling than きらい. More like "disgusted".

Sounds like an exaggerated "yeeeah", when someone is hesitant on agreeing to something.

“いや” looks like a “thumbs down” hand (with some imagination)

"do you like my dress?"
"Eee.... Ya...?"

eeeeee...yuck......I dislike that, I dont want to do it

いt's a やk, not a donkey that you are disgusted by.

From 目 (the older pronunciation being ま) + archaic possessive な + 差し.

真剣な眼差し = a serious look
憧れの眼差し = a gaze of admiration

顔 (かお) is the everyday word for "face", covering the physical face, expressions, identity, and social or metaphorical meaning. It's natural in conversation and appears in idioms like 顔が売れる or 顔を立てる.

顔面 (がんめん) refers more specifically to the face as a physical surface or anatomical area, often in medical or descriptive contexts, like 顔面にボールが当たった.

In short, 顔 is broad, social, and expressive, while 顔面 is physical, objective, and technical.

Source: [ja.hinative.com]

顔を出す = "to turn up" or "to drop by"
顔に泥を塗る = "to disgrace someone; to make someone lose face"

Pitch accent: か/お
Source: [takoboto.jp]

(カオ) ちゃん = face chan! (´・ω・｀)ノ

かお = face
えがお = smiling face

The cow (かお) had a human *face*! What?

KAOmojis ! (｡•́ ̫ •̀｡) face emojis

I think Morning glories 朝顔 are so beautiful! They're the morning's 朝 face 顔

きず focuses on visible surface damage like a cut or a scratch while けが is a serious injury

As far as I can tell, regarding けが vs きず:

" 傷 is not very serious. For example,finger is cut by a paper." SImilarly, note kizu is used in parts of words to describe scars .

" けが is used to describe big physical wound. For example, in a car accident."

[www.italki.com]

Some kisses (キス) can leave bruises (hickeys) as well.

Kiss きず the WOUND and make it better

Despite a KISS(u), the wound (きず) caused by a ZUCCHIni still throbs with pain (ずきずきする)

a KIZU(kiss) so strong, it’ll leave a mark (bruise).

KEY ZOO {きず} personnel are advised not to go into a cage while the animal is still there because the animal might wound them.

Lemme give you a キス on your キズ for it to heal faster

久しい + ぶり

HE SAW SHIBUya a REAlly / LONG TIME AGO.

HE SAID SHE BURIED those secrets a long time ago

It has been *a long time* since he saw sheep (ひさし), believe (ぶり) me.

it was a long time, before HE SAW her (SHE) BREATHE again... (sleeping beauty?)

It's been a long time since he ate HIs SUSHI BURRIto (Hisashiburi). He is finally having one for the first time in a while!

ひさしs ぶりed for the first time in a long time. He's buddhist and his last life was quite long. That's why.

Although there is another term that refers to the United States (アメリカ合衆国), アメリカ usually refers to the United States, and not the continents of North/South America.

Also see 米国

Oil 油 under stones 石

petra 石 oleum 油

For the SEKI (sake) of the Earth, YU (you) need to stop burning oil

Thee second you せきゆ light OIL it catches fire.

原油 is the unrefined ("crude") form of 石油

達成 places attention on the process of working toward a goal, whereas 成功 places it on the final result.

成功 asks "Was it successful?" while 達成 asks "Was the goal reached?" A goal can be 達成された without being considered a great 成功, and something can be a 成功 even when there was no specific target to 達成.

成果 is usually a positive result that comes from one’s hard work or effort. It might be easier to think of it as “fruits of labor”.
成功 is a binary result that just expresses the successful result.

Wearing a SEIKO watch shows that you're SUCCEEDING in life!

Success (せいこう) is the best (さいこう)!

SEIKOUssful = successful

Thanks to their safe code(seikou) their program was a SUCCESS!

専攻(せんこう) major subject
成功(せいこう) success; achievement
Completing one’s せんこう is a major せいこう

He was so successful in university, the sei-ght kou-ght the eyes of several companies

Friend speaking to friend: Say, Ko (nickname for koko), you really succeed!

NARUto’s first goal was to BECOME his village’s leader. His determination led him to GROW and RESULTed IN him becoming a powerful ninja.

To become なる it is to be accustomed 慣れる to the way of it.

"Are you sorry for how you turned out?" NAH, I don't RUE what I've BECOME.

"Kaizoku ou ni ore wa NARU !!" (Luffy's favorite declaration in One Piece, he wants to BECOME the king of the pirates)

If you’ve heard of なるほど , it’s like I understand i.e I have reached the limit (of understanding). なる in this case means to you have reached/achieved/succeded in achieving the ほど , the highest extent/degree/magnitude (of understanding).

When steamed, fish paste will *𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲* "naruto"「NARU なる」. I *𝗴𝗲𝘁* it as a topping, which *𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻* the best ramen!

intransitive counterpart to する

とか can mean:

1. "things like … / such as …" (listing examples, not exhaustive)

2. "or … (among other things)"

3. In casual speech, it can soften statements or leave things open-ended, a bit like “..and stuff” or “..or something”.

For saying “things like X, Y and others”, XとかYとか (とか) is more casual and conversational than XやY (や)

Toes get crushed under cars as well as similar things too.

This is 連体詞 (a type of adjective with different rules), so you do not need to add な - just use it directly with the word it describes :)

Being an ambassador (taishi) is a big deal

Something abstract, not material, like actions and feelings.

abstract thing

verb cannot connect to particle directly, need to put koto to join them together

Generally, 事 (こと)is used to mean thing. When in doubt, if you use こと, you will rarely make a mistake.

事項（じこう) gives the image of each item (事柄). It is close in meaning to 'item.'



事柄（ことがら) is more abstract, relating to the appearance or content. It is close to 事象.



Note that 事項 and 事柄 are not commonly used in everyday conversation; they are used in business and official documents.

[hinative.com]

こと is used for actions, events, or abstract matters, while もの is for things, concepts, or objects that feel more static or concrete.

For example, 愛 (noun) is a concept, so 愛というもの means "this thing called love", while 愛する (verb) is an action, so 愛するということ means "this thing called loving".

Similarly, 生命, life as a concept, takes もの, but 生きる, the act of living, takes こと.
The distinction also appears in phrases like 大切なもの, "important things" (often emotionally valued), versus 大切なこと, "important matters" or "important actions".

An example with people or possessions: 彼のこと refers to abstract things about him or matters concerning him, while 彼のもの means "his thing" or something he owns.

Source: the first few minutes of this video [www.youtube.com]

Both の and こと turn verbs into nouns, but they feel different:
————————

こと is more conceptual and abstract. It treats the action as a general idea and sounds more detached. It's often used for information, ideas, or facts.

の feels more direct and personal. It points to the actual action as it happens. It sounds more immediate, and it's commonly used for things you directly see, hear, feel, or control.
————————

→ 私は死ぬことが怖い = "I'm afraid of death"
Here, the action is treated as a general concept.

→ 私は死ぬのが怖い = "I'm afraid of dying"
This feels more immediate and personal, as if you're afraid of dying rather than death as an abstract idea.
————————

The difference becomes clearer with direct perception. When you directly witness something, you usually use の.

→ 私は子どもが泣いているのを見た = "I saw a child crying"
What you saw wasn't the concept of a child crying—you saw the action itself.

The same contrast appears with hearing, especially when comparing direct perception and reported information.

→ 火山が噴火したことを聞いた = What you heard was the news of the volcano erupting.
Here, you received information about the event.

→ 火山が噴火したのを聞いた = You were there when the volcano erupted. You directly heard it.
In this case, you experienced the sound itself.
————————

Finally, when talking about actions you can directly control, の is usually preferred.
→ 酒を飲むのをやめた = "I quit drinking"

Here, the action feels concrete and personally managed rather than abstract.
————————

Quick rule of thumb:

Directly experienced / immediate / personal → の
Abstract / conceptual / informational → こと

Source: part of this video: [www.youtube.com]

"oh gee, i have to go to an urgent matter/thing/business about a KOTO instrument. let me grab my COAT of concepts" (idk, imagine raccoons/kids in a trench coat pretending to be a man)

I refuse 断る ことわる to admit we're different 異なる and that's it! This matter 事 こと is now な close.

あっち こっち and そっち are used when there are TWO things to choose between (THAT one or THIS one), whereas あれ それ and これ are used for ONE item or MORE THAN TWO.
(Japanese From Zero Course/Book 1 Lesson 2)