This has happened a few times with me where I have come across different kanji that have same kunyomi and same meaning as well.

例：　測る、　計る、　量る。　They all mean 'measure'
例：　混じる、　交じる、　雑じる。 They all have to do with 'mixing'.

I want to know: are they interchangable, it seems difficult to determine what is the difference in their usage. Another example is 熱い、　暑い、　暖かい、　温かい。　For these I have determined that they infact have different usage but similar meaning, not same.

What about the examples I have given above and do you have any advice I need to keep in mind for such kanjis?

This is where a J-J dictionary comes in handy. They generally have examples to differentiate them for you, although you might have to get a few resources to get a clear answer.

For the different はかる types, this is from http://www.sanseido.net:
はか・る 2 計る/測る/量る］
〈五〉 計測する． ＊時間は「計る」．長さや面積は「測る」．重さや体積は「量る」． (派)(～)り
Time is 計る, length and area is 測る, weight and volume is 量る

With the varieties for heat (and others I've found) are pretty good at using http://dic.yahoo.co.jp
あつい is a good one where even the J-E works pretty good. You can tell that 熱い is for things, where 暑い is for 'atmospheric' warmth.

So in general, they are probably not interchangeable; they have different kanji for different usages. I've found that the best way to find the difference is to look them up in different dictionaries and see the different uses they have listed.

Asriel Wrote:This is where a J-J dictionary comes in handy. They generally have examples to differentiate them for you, although you might have to get a few resources to get a clear answer.

For the different はかる types, this is from http://www.sanseido.net:

Didn't notice it got an overhaul for the layout of this site. I always kept using Yahoo.Jp dictionary most of the time.

One problem you can run into, though, is dictionaries giving you information that doesn't actually reflect the way most people use the kanji, giving kanji that very few people would be able to read, let alone use themselves. In particular, you should always pay attention to information from the IME or dictionary that tells you a certain kanji is 一般. This generally means that lots of native speakers will use that kanji for all uses.

My general guidelines are the Koujien and the Microsoft IME. I usually figure that if something doesn't appear in there, many Japanese people probably can't distinguish them very well. まじる and はかる both appear in the Koujien with notes on the difference, so that one is probably worth learning.

On the other hand, the Koujien gives おもう with four kanji: 思う, 想う, 念う, and 憶う -- however, no information is given on what the difference is. The IME only lists the first 2. So my general belief would be that although some people might be be able to differentiate the first two (and in my experience 想う is fairly common), the latter two are not really worth learning. There are dictionaries you can get that will purport to tell you the little differences between lots of kanji, but you get to a point where you're starting to make distinctions that most native speakers can't make. I have a dictionary for the Kanji Kentei that also gives for おもう 意う, 懐う, and 惟う. I would be surprised if you could find 1 native speaker in 10000 who could even *read* those, much less use them.

wow you guys have been so helpful thankyou so much for that.

Schultzzz(creator of kanjidamage) made a dictionary exactly for this kind of situation - http://www.hellodamage.com/top/synonymsv2.htm

Here is the excerpt regarding mixing and measure kanjis:

まぜる- mix
交 - $$$ - general word for mixing. Also used figuratively, as in joining or associating with a group.
混 - this is used for technical stuff- science or cooking.

はかる - measure
計る - 50% - temperature, height, depth. If you're measuring a chair or your mom's stretch marks, use this one.
測る --measure, but usually used in a medical or scientific context. (blood pressure, air pressure). Also used for area, distance, sound decibels, angle, capacity.
量る -- used mostly about weight, but also quantity or volume.


And about 熱い、　暑い、　暖かい、　温かい kanji - I had the same problem some time ago, so I requested maggiesensei to make a lesson about this, and thankfully she fulfilled it, you can read about it here: http://www.maggiesensei.com/2011/05/11/%...st-lesson/

I just found what these type of words are called, they are called　類字　and the words we get from them are called 類語. Though I am surpised that this question does not seem to have been asked before.

check out this site: http://bimyo-kotoba.com/b-back.html

it's really helpful for these...

It's a fairly common question - just difficult to search for.

There are also synonym dictionaries. ydtt's caveat applies to these, too. Not sure what your level is. The following are in Japanese.

Jarvik7 recommended the following one on homonymic synonyms (擧げる　揚げる　上げる　挙げる etc) in an earlier thread:
漢字を正しく使い分ける辞典)

J7 also suggested two good books for more general synonyms:
似た言葉使い分け辞典―正しい言葉づかいのための [新書]

and one of these (by same publisher and author, but he forgot which one he had used):
類義語使い分け辞典―日本語類似表現のニュアンスの違いを例証する
日本語類義表現使い分け辞典
edit: fixed title

matrixofdynamism Wrote:I just found what these type of words are called, they are called　類字　and the words we get from them are called 類語. Though I am surpised that this question does not seem to have been asked before.

No, this is wrong.

類字 are kanji that look alike, but are not the same. So, 鳥 and 烏, or 縁 and 緑 would be 類字.

類語 are words that have similar meanings, but are not actually the same and are used differently. So examples of 類語 would be 家 and 住宅, or 言う and 話す.

Thora Wrote:It's a fairly common question - just difficult to search for.

There are also synonym dictionaries. ydtt's caveat applies to these, too. Not sure what your level is. The following are in Japanese.

Jarvik7 recommended the following one on homonymic synonyms (擧げる　揚げる　上げる　挙げる etc) in an earlier thread:
漢字を正しく使い分ける辞典)

J7 also suggested two good books for more general synonyms:
似た言葉使い分け辞典―正しい言葉づかいのための [新書]

and one of these (by same publisher and author, but he forgot which one he had used):
類義語使い分け辞典―日本語類似表現のニュアンスの違いを例証する
日本語類義表現使い分け辞典
edit: fixed title

Thanks for those links, booked marked this

Actually, 類義語 are synonyms. They are words with similar meaning, that can be used the same under certain circumstances but not all. Like 話す and 語る.