Why does English have unnecessary words like “Big” and “Large”! they’re the same! …not. 🙂
As for your question 町 is closer to “town” and 街 is usually a “city”. And they’re pronounced まち. みせ is a store.
I believe you mean まち for town. Neither is really unnecessary. Japanese has kanji that is very similar in meaning but the meaning varies ever so slightly. I myself am not 100% sure as to the difference in those two kanji, but here is [another post](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/2484) that talks about it
Your question but the other way around: why does English have two words for まち? City and town are both listed as まち.
Alternatively, google the words that seems the “same”, except add *difference* in your search.
They have a slight nuance in meaning which helps clarify meaning.
のぼる in Japanese can have (at least) three associated kanji: 上る, 昇る and 登る. It would seem like we should do away with two of those… except they have their own kanji compounds and on’yomi too. Imaging pushing at least two more on’yomi into 上. We’d have 20 readings for 上 all together.
The meanings of kanji compounds would be more confusing too: 上山 – is the mountain going up? Are we going up the mountain? It’s not clear. 階段上下機 – does the machine lift you up and down? Do the stairs move up and down? I don’t know.
These are homophones but different words. The kanji is necessary. 町にいく。Go to the town. 街に行く。Go into town.
Now you know. 街 is more like “downtown” whereas 町 is like a small city (e.g., a town).
Duol*ngo moment
街 is for a slightly bigger town
so many words have multiple kanji representations, the idea is that with these different spellings there is a different nuance
早く 速く
both are はやく
both are the same word
早く = early
速く = fast
see?
It’s language. All languages have synonyms. Synonyms are not the same words. Big is not large, enormous, grand, mighty, gigantic, hefty, huge, etc.
9 comments
Why does English have unnecessary words like “Big” and “Large”! they’re the same!
…not. 🙂
As for your question 町 is closer to “town” and 街 is usually a “city”. And they’re pronounced まち. みせ is a store.
I believe you mean まち for town. Neither is really unnecessary. Japanese has kanji that is very similar in meaning but the meaning varies ever so slightly. I myself am not 100% sure as to the difference in those two kanji, but here is [another post](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/2484) that talks about it
Your question but the other way around: why does English have two words for まち? City and town are both listed as まち.
Alternatively, google the words that seems the “same”, except add *difference* in your search.
how did you gather that theyre the same? because theyre not https://jotoba.de/search/%E7%94%BA%20%20%E8%A1%97?t=1&p=1&l=en-US&i=1
They have a slight nuance in meaning which helps clarify meaning.
のぼる in Japanese can have (at least) three associated kanji: 上る, 昇る and 登る. It would seem like we should do away with two of those… except they have their own kanji compounds and on’yomi too. Imaging pushing at least two more on’yomi into 上. We’d have 20 readings for 上 all together.
The meanings of kanji compounds would be more confusing too: 上山 – is the mountain going up? Are we going up the mountain? It’s not clear. 階段上下機 – does the machine lift you up and down? Do the stairs move up and down? I don’t know.
These are homophones but different words. The kanji is necessary.
町にいく。Go to the town.
街に行く。Go into town.
Now you know.
街 is more like “downtown” whereas 町 is like a small city (e.g., a town).
Duol*ngo moment
街 is for a slightly bigger town
so many words have multiple kanji representations, the idea is that with these different spellings there is a different nuance
早く 速く
both are はやく
both are the same word
早く = early
速く = fast
see?
It’s language. All languages have synonyms.
Synonyms are not the same words.
Big is not large, enormous, grand, mighty, gigantic, hefty, huge, etc.