When using 上手 (じょうず), it's important to understand who you're talking about. Generally, you use 上手 to describe someone else's skills, not your own. For example, you can say 「田中さんは日本語が上手です。」 (Tanaka-san is good at Japanese.).
If you use 上手 to describe yourself, it can sound a bit arrogant or boastful, like saying "I'm great at this!" instead of being humble. Instead, when talking about your own abilities, it's more natural to use phrases like 「日本語ができます。」 (I can speak Japanese.) or 「日本語が得意です。」 (I am strong in Japanese.).
There are some exceptions, of course. For instance, in very specific situations where it's clear you're being self-deprecating or it's a playful boast among close friends, it might be acceptable. But as a general rule, especially in formal or new social settings, avoid using 上手 to describe yourself.
Remembering this distinction will help you sound more natural and polite in Japanese conversations. So, next time you want to compliment someone's skill, 上手 is your go-to word, but for your own, choose something else!
When using 上手 (jouzu) for people's abilities, it's polite to use お上手 (ojouzu) with the honorific お (o).
For example, you might say, 「日本語がお上手ですね！」(Nihongo ga ojouzu desu ne!) which means, "Your Japanese is very good!" or "You're good at Japanese!"
However, when talking about your own abilities, it's generally considered humble to avoid 上手. Instead, you could use expressions like 「できます」 (dekimasu, I can do it) or 「得意です」 (tokui desu, I'm good at it).
For instance, if someone asks if you're good at cooking, you could say 「料理はまあまあできます」 (Ryouri wa maamaa dekimasu, I'm so-so at cooking) rather than 「料理が上手です」 (Ryouri ga jouzu desu, I am good at cooking).
§ Understanding Jōzu (上手)
Let's break down the Japanese word 「上手」 (jōzu). Simply put, jōzu means "skillful" or "good at." It's an adjective you'll hear and use a lot in everyday Japanese conversations. Think of it as a go-to word when you want to compliment someone's ability or skill in something.
- DEFINITION
- Jōzu (上手) is a na-adjective meaning "skillful," "good at," or "proficient." It's used to describe someone's ability or performance in a particular task or activity.
You'll often hear jōzu used to praise someone. For example, if someone speaks Japanese well, you might say, "日本語がとても上手ですね" (Nihongo ga totemo jōzu desu ne), meaning "Your Japanese is very good." It's a simple yet effective way to show appreciation for someone's efforts or natural talent.
彼はテニスがとても上手だ。
He is very good at tennis. (Kare wa tenisu ga totemo jōzu da.)
§ When to use Jōzu (上手)
Jōzu is commonly used in a few key situations:
- Complimenting skills: This is the most frequent use. Whether it's a language, a sport, an art, or a craft, if someone does it well, jōzu is your word.
- Describing proficiency: You can use it to talk about your own or someone else's level of skill in a particular area.
- Polite inquiries: Sometimes, it's used in a question to ask about someone's ability. For instance, "料理が上手ですか?" (Ryōri ga jōzu desu ka?) meaning "Are you good at cooking?"
Let's look at a few more examples to solidify your understanding:
彼女は歌がとても上手だ。
She is very good at singing. (Kanojo wa uta ga totemo jōzu da.)
あの画家は絵がほんとに上手だ。
That artist is really good at painting. (Ano gaka wa e ga hontō ni jōzu da.)
Understanding when and how to use jōzu correctly will make your Japanese sound more natural and polite. It's a fundamental word for expressing compliments and acknowledging skill, which are important aspects of Japanese communication.
- COMMON PHRASES WITH JŌZU
- 「～が上手です」 (~ ga jōzu desu): Good at ~.
- 「とても上手ですね」 (Totemo jōzu desu ne): You are very good (at it), aren't you? (Often used as a compliment.)
How Formal Is It?
"ピアノがお上手ですね。 (Piano ga ojozu desu ne.) - You are skilled at playing the piano."
"日本語が上手です。 (Nihongo ga jōzu desu.) - You are good at Japanese."
"歌うまいね！ (Uta umai ne!) - You sing well!"
"お絵かきじょうずだね。 (Oekaki jōzu da ne.) - You're good at drawing."
"あの人、ゲーム神だわ。 (Ano hito, gēmu kami da wa.) - That person is a god at gaming."
趣味小知识
The characters literally mean 'up' and 'hand', suggesting a high level of skill or being 'above' others in ability.
按水平分级的例句
日本語がお上手ですね。
Your Japanese is skillful, isn't it?
お上手 (o-jouzu) is a polite form of 上手 (jouzu).
彼は料理が上手です。
He is good at cooking.
～が上手です (~ga jouzu desu) means 'is good at ~'.
絵を描くのが上手になりたいです。
I want to become good at drawing pictures.
～が上手になりたい (~ga jouzu ni naritai) means 'want to become good at ~'.
彼女は歌がとても上手です。
She is very good at singing.
とても (totemo) means 'very'.
あなたは運転が上手ですか？
Are you good at driving?
～が上手ですか (~ga jouzu desu ka) is a question asking 'are you good at ~?'.
テニスがあまり上手ではありません。
I'm not very good at tennis.
あまり (amari) with a negative verb means 'not very'.
彼はお箸の使い方が上手です。
He is good at using chopsticks.
～の使い方が上手です (~no tsukaikata ga jouzu desu) means 'is good at using ~'.
もっと英語が上手になりたいです。
I want to become better at English.
もっと (motto) means 'more'.
容易混淆的词
良い means 'good' in a general sense (e.g., 'good weather,' 'good person'), not specifically 'good at a skill.' While 上手 is about ability, 良い is about quality or virtue.
できる means 'can do' or 'be able to.' While being able to do something often implies some skill, できる focuses on possibility/capability rather than the level of skill itself, which is what 上手 describes.
素晴らしい means 'wonderful' or 'excellent,' expressing strong admiration. While someone who is 上手 might be considered 素晴らしい, 素晴らしい describes an overall positive impression, not just skill.
语法模式
习语与表达
"お世辞が上手"
good at flattery
彼はお世辞が上手です。
neutral"歌が上手"
good at singing
彼女は歌が上手ですね。
neutral"絵が上手"
good at drawing/painting
この子、絵が上手だね。
neutral"料理が上手"
good at cooking
お母さんの料理が上手で羨ましい。
neutral"英語が上手"
good at English
彼の英語は本当に上手です。
neutral"運転が上手"
good at driving
父は運転が上手だから安心です。
neutral"説明が上手"
good at explaining
先生は説明が上手で分かりやすいです。
neutral"話が上手"
good at talking/storytelling
彼は話が上手なので、聞き入ってしまう。
neutral"口が上手"
good with words (can be negative, manipulative)
彼は口が上手いから気をつけて。
neutral"手先が上手"
dexterous, good with one's hands
彼女は手先が上手で、細かい作業が得意です。
neutral容易混淆
Both 上手 and 得意 mean 'good at something.' However, 得意 has a nuance of being good at something one enjoys or is proud of, while 上手 is a more general term.
上手 is a general statement about skill, often used when praising someone else. 得意 implies personal enjoyment or pride in the skill.
彼女は歌が得意です。 (She is good at singing [and she enjoys it/is proud of it].)
This is the direct opposite of 上手, meaning 'unskillful' or 'bad at.' The confusion arises when students try to apply the same nuances as 上手.
上手 describes skill positively, while 下手 describes lack of skill negatively. It's often considered impolite to directly tell someone they are 下手.
彼は歌が下手です。 (He is bad at singing.)
巧い is an alternative way to write 'うまい,' which can also mean 'skillful' or 'good at.' The kanji 巧 itself means 'skillful.'
While 巧い can mean skillful, うまい often carries a more informal or colloquial tone, and can also mean 'delicious' or 'successful.' 上手 is more formal and exclusively about skill.
彼はテニスが巧い。 (He is good at tennis. [More informal than 上手])
器用 means 'skillful with one's hands' or 'dexterous.' It's a specific type of skill, which can sometimes be mistaken for the general meaning of 上手.
上手 is general skill. 器用 specifically refers to manual dexterity or being good at crafts, hobbies, or tasks requiring fine motor skills.
彼女は器用なので、何でも作れます。 (She is dexterous, so she can make anything.)
堪能 means 'proficient' or 'skilled,' especially in a particular subject or art. It implies a high level of mastery.
上手 is a general 'good at.' 堪能 implies a much higher level of skill, often close to mastery, and is usually used for academic subjects, arts, or languages.
彼は英語に堪能です。 (He is proficient in English.)
句型
〜が上手です (〜 ga jōzu desu)
彼女は料理が上手です。 (Kanojo wa ryōri ga jōzu desu.) Hint: She is good at cooking.
〜のが上手です (〜 no ga jōzu desu)
彼は日本語を話すのが上手です。 (Kare wa Nihongo o hanasu no ga jōzu desu.) Hint: He is good at speaking Japanese.
上手な〜 (jōzu na 〜)
上手な歌手 (jōzu na kashu) Hint: a skillful singer
上手になる (jōzu ni naru)
毎日練習すれば、上手になります。 (Mainichi renshū sureba, jōzu ni narimasu.) Hint: If you practice every day, you will become skillful.
上手にする (jōzu ni suru)
料理を上手にするには時間がかかります。 (Ryōri o jōzu ni suru ni wa jikan ga kakarimasu.) Hint: It takes time to become good at cooking.
あまり上手じゃない (amari jōzu ja nai)
私は歌があまり上手じゃないです。 (Watashi wa uta ga amari jōzu ja nai desu.) Hint: I'm not very good at singing.
少し上手 (sukoshi jōzu)
彼はテニスが少し上手です。 (Kare wa tenisu ga sukoshi jōzu desu.) Hint: He is a little good at tennis.
とても上手 (totemo jōzu)
彼女はピアノがとても上手です。 (Kanojo wa piano ga totemo jōzu desu.) Hint: She is very good at playing the piano.
词族
名词
如何使用
When talking about someone else's abilities, use 「上手」 (じょうず) to say they are 'good at' something or 'skillful'. For example, if your friend is good at playing guitar, you can say: 「ギターが上手ですね。」 (Guitar ga jōzu desu ne.) - 'You're good at guitar.' You can also use it to praise someone's work or a performance: 「上手な絵ですね。」 (Jōzu na e desu ne.) - 'That's a skillful painting.'
A common mistake is using 「上手」 to describe your own abilities. In Japanese culture, it's considered humble to downplay your own skills. If you want to say you are good at something, you would typically use 「得意」 (とくい) instead. For instance, instead of saying 「私は歌が上手です。」 (Watashi wa uta ga jōzu desu.) - 'I am good at singing.', which can sound boastful, you would say: 「私は歌が得意です。」 (Watashi wa uta ga tokui desu.) - 'I am good at singing.' or 'Singing is my strong point.' Remember, 「上手」 is generally for complimenting others, while 「得意」 is for describing your own strengths.
词源
From Middle Chinese 上手 (MC syangH syuwX)
原始含义： upper hand, superior
Sino-Japanese文化背景
When praising someone's ability, using 上手 is common. However, it can sometimes imply that the skill is surprising for that person, so one might use different phrasing with very close friends or superiors. It's often used with a sense of admiration for someone's proficiency.
在生活中练习
真实语境
Complimenting someone's ability in a skill or hobby.
- 日本語がお上手ですね。(Nihongo ga ojouzu desu ne.) - Your Japanese is good, isn't it?
- 絵を描くのが上手ですね。(E o kaku no ga jouzu desu ne.) - You're good at drawing, aren't you?
- 料理がお上手ですね。(Ryouri ga ojouzu desu ne.) - You're good at cooking, aren't you?
Talking about a person's general talent or skill.
- 彼は歌が上手です。(Kare wa uta ga jouzu desu.) - He is good at singing.
- 彼女はダンスが上手です。(Kanojo wa dansu ga jouzu desu.) - She is good at dancing.
- 田中さんは本当に仕事が上手です。(Tanaka-san wa hontou ni shigoto ga jouzu desu.) - Tanaka-san is really good at her job.
Asking someone if they are good at something.
- スポーツは何かお上手ですか。(Supootsu wa nanika ojouzu desu ka?) - Are you good at any sports?
- ピアノはお上手ですか。(Piano wa ojouzu desu ka?) - Are you good at piano?
- 運転はお上手ですか。(Unten wa ojouzu desu ka?) - Are you good at driving?
Describing someone who is not good at something (using the negative form).
- 私は歌が上手ではありません。(Watashi wa uta ga jouzu de wa arimasen.) - I am not good at singing.
- 彼は絵があまり上手じゃない。(Kare wa e ga amari jouzu ja nai.) - He's not very good at drawing.
- 彼女はパソコンの操作が上手ではありません。(Kanojo wa pasokon no sousa ga jouzu de wa arimasen.) - She is not good at operating computers.
Expressing that you are getting better at something.
- 最近、日本語が上手になってきました。(Saikin, nihongo ga jouzu ni natte kimashita.) - Recently, my Japanese has been getting better.
- もっと上手になりたいです。(Motto jouzu ni naritai desu.) - I want to become better.
- 練習すれば上手になりますよ。(Renshuu sureba jouzu ni narimasu yo.) - If you practice, you will get better.
对话开场白
"何か得意なことはありますか？ (Nani ka tokui na koto wa arimasu ka?) - Is there anything you are good at?"
"日本の文化で何か上手になりたいものはありますか？ (Nihon no bunka de nani ka jouzu ni naritai mono wa arimasu ka?) - Is there anything in Japanese culture you'd like to get good at?"
"友達や家族の中で、特に何が上手な人がいますか？ (Tomodachi ya kazoku no naka de, tokuni nani ga jouzu na hito ga imasu ka?) - Among your friends or family, is there anyone who is particularly good at something?"
"子供の頃、何が一番上手でしたか？ (Kodomo no koro, nani ga ichiban jouzu deshita ka?) - What were you best at when you were a child?"
"最近、何か新しいことを始めて、少しずつ上手になってきたことはありますか？ (Saikin, nani ka atarashii koto o hajimete, sukoshi zutsu jouzu ni natte kita koto wa arimasu ka?) - Have you started anything new recently that you've been gradually getting better at?"
日记主题
今日の学習で「上手」を使った例文を3つ作ってみましょう。 (Kyou no gakushuu de "jouzu" o tsukatta reibun o mittsu tsukutte mimashou.) - Let's try to create three example sentences using "jouzu" from today's lesson.
あなたが「これは上手になりたい」と思っていることは何ですか？具体的に書いてみましょう。 (Anata ga "kore wa jouzu ni naritai" to omotte iru koto wa nan desu ka? Gutaiteki ni kaite mimashou.) - What is something you think, "I want to get good at this"? Write about it specifically.
あなたの周りの人で、特定のスキルが「上手」な人を一人選んで、そのスキルについて詳しく描写してみましょう。 (Anata no mawari no hito de, tokutei no sukiru ga "jouzu" na hito o hitori erande, sono sukiru ni tsuite kuwashiku byousha shite mimashou.) - Choose one person around you who is "good at" a specific skill, and describe that skill in detail.
「上手」になるために、どのような練習や努力が必要だと思いますか？あなたの考えを書いてみましょう。 (Jouzu ni naru tame ni, dono you na renshuu ya doryoku ga hitsuyou da to omoimasu ka? Anata no kangae o kaite mimashou.) - What kind of practice or effort do you think is necessary to become "good at" something? Write your thoughts.
もしあなたが急に何かのスキルが「上手」になったら、何をしたいですか？想像して書いてみましょう。 (Moshi anata ga kyuu ni nani ka no sukiru ga "jouzu" ni nattara, nani o shitai desu ka? Souzou shite kaite mimashou.) - If you suddenly became "good at" some skill, what would you want to do? Imagine and write about it.
自我测试 24 个问题
This sentence means 'A is good at tennis.' The typical Japanese sentence structure is Subject + Topic Marker (は) + Object + Subject Marker (が) + Adjective.
This sentence means 'He is good at cooking.' The pattern is Subject + Topic Marker (は) + Object + Subject Marker (が) + Adjective.
This sentence means 'She is good at singing.' Follow the structure: Subject + Topic Marker (は) + Object + Subject Marker (が) + Adjective.
Write a sentence describing someone who is good at playing the piano.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
彼女はピアノがとても上手です。
Write a sentence asking if someone is skillful at cooking.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
あなたは料理が上手ですか。
Write a sentence saying that a friend is good at speaking Japanese.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私の友達は日本語が上手です。
田中さんは何が上手ですか。
Read this passage:
田中さんはサッカーが上手です。彼は毎日練習します。試合でいつも活躍します。
田中さんは何が上手ですか。
The passage states 田中さんはサッカーが上手です。
The passage states 田中さんはサッカーが上手です。
彼女はどんな人ですか。
Read this passage:
彼女は歌が上手です。みんな彼女の歌を聞くのが好きです。コンサートにもよく行きます。
彼女はどんな人ですか。
The passage mentions 彼女は歌が上手です。
The passage mentions 彼女は歌が上手です。
彼はお箸の使い方がどうですか。
Read this passage:
彼はお箸の使い方がとても上手です。日本人みたいです。いつも綺麗に食べます。
彼はお箸の使い方がどうですか。
The passage says 彼はお箸の使い方がとても上手です。
The passage says 彼はお箸の使い方がとても上手です。
This sentence means 'He is good at cooking.' The particles 'は' (wa) marks the topic, and 'が' (ga) marks the object of '上手' (jouzu).
This sentence means 'She is very good at singing.' 'とても' (totemo) means 'very.'
This sentence means 'I am not good at Japanese yet.' 'まだ' (mada) means 'yet,' and 'じゃありません' (ja arimasen) is the negative form of 'です' (desu).
This sentence means 'He is very good at tennis.' The particles が and は mark the subject and object respectively, and とても modifies 上手です.
This sentence means 'She has become good at cooking.' になりました indicates a change in state, meaning 'to become'.
This sentence means 'I want to speak more skillfully.' もっと means 'more', and 上手に modifies the verb 話したい (want to speak).
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
相关内容
这个词在其他语言中
更多general词汇
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
