分かる vs 知る
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 分かる
Listen to 知る
| 分かる | 知る |
|---|---|
wa-KA-ru verb (u-verb, intransitive) | しる (shiru) verb (u-verb, intransitive) |
| to understand; to be comprehensible; to know (in the sense of grasping something) | to know; to become aware of a fact or information |
How they differ
知る focuses on coming to know or being aware of information or facts, not necessarily understanding underlying reasons; 分かる often implies comprehension or that something makes sense, so the two overlap but are not identical.
When to use each
When to use 分かる: Prefer 分かる when you want to express comprehension of reasons, mechanisms, or meanings.
When to use 知る: Prefer 知る when you mean someone has learned or become aware of a fact or piece of information.
Side-by-side examples
- なぜそうなるか分かりますか？
(Do you understand why that happens?) - 彼が来ることを知っていますか？
(Do you know that he is coming?)
Register & nuance: 知る is neutral and widely used in both casual and formal contexts (politeness depends on conjugation, e.g., 知っています).