Why do JLPT N1 learners confuse 霞む with 辟易?

Both words occupy adjacent semantic territory, which is exactly why the JLPT uses them as distractors for each other on multiple-choice items. The fastest way to stop confusing them is to study them as a pair, write a one-sentence contrast in your own words, and drill the pair specifically rather than each word in isolation.

Is 霞む or 辟易 more common on JLPT N1?

Both appear in the JLPT N1 curriculum and either may show up on a given exam. Don't try to predict which one the test will choose — learn to distinguish them and you'll be safe regardless. Both belong to the General Verbs (9) theme of N1 vocabulary.

How do I practice this confusion pair?

Free option: visit /try and pick a confusion drill. Paid option: none — JLPT Mastery is free during launch. Whichever route you take, the engine specifically re-tests pairs you've gotten wrong rather than rotating through general vocabulary review.

JLPT N1 · Advanced · Meaning confusion

霞む vs 辟易

Q: What's the difference between 霞む and 辟易?

霞む (かすむ) means "to grow hazy, to be misty" and 辟易 (へきえき) means "wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted". Both involve a lack of clarity or a sense of being overwhelmed; 霞む is the visual blurring of one's surroundings, while 辟易 is the mental feeling of being overwhelmed or 'fed up' to the point of withdrawal.

Why JLPT N1 learners mix up 霞む (かすむ, “to grow hazy, to be misty”) and 辟易 (へきえき, “wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted”).

霞む

かすむ

to grow hazy, to be misty

verb

辟易

へきえき

wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted

verb

Theme: General Verbs (9)JLPT N1

Why these get confused

Both involve a lack of clarity or a sense of being overwhelmed; 霞む is the visual blurring of one's surroundings, while 辟易 is the mental feeling of being overwhelmed or 'fed up' to the point of withdrawal.

How to tell them apart

Anchor on the meaning, not the form. 霞む (to grow hazy, to be misty) and 辟易 (wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted) live in adjacent semantic territory. Memorize the boundary, not just each word.
Read the example sentences below. Seeing each word in its natural context builds a faster lookup than studying the dictionary form alone.

In a sentence

霞む (to grow hazy, to be misty)

都会に住む予定です。
こん中すごく寒いな。

辟易 (wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted)

船は、水平線の彼方に消えた。
部屋の電気が消えてしまいました。

How JLPT tests this pair

On JLPT N1, this pair shows up as a vocabulary meaning question. You see one word and pick its English equivalent from four options — one of which will be the other word in this pair, chosen as a distractor precisely because of the overlap.

Sample item

「霞む」の意味は？

A. to grow hazy, to be misty (correct)
B. wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted (distractor)
C. (other plausible meaning)
D. (other plausible meaning)

Drill this pair until it sticks

Reading the explanation is step one. Targeted practice is what actually moves a confusion pair out of your weak list. Free, no signup needed to try.

Practice N1 confusion pairs

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Frequently asked

霞む vs 辟易

Why JLPT N1 learners mix up 霞む (かすむ, “to grow hazy, to be misty”) and 辟易 (へきえき, “wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted”).

霞む

かすむ

to grow hazy, to be misty

verb

辟易

へきえき

wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted

verb

Theme: General Verbs (9)JLPT N1

Why these get confused

How to tell them apart

Anchor on the meaning, not the form. 霞む (to grow hazy, to be misty) and 辟易 (wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted) live in adjacent semantic territory. Memorize the boundary, not just each word.
Read the example sentences below. Seeing each word in its natural context builds a faster lookup than studying the dictionary form alone.

In a sentence

霞む (to grow hazy, to be misty)

都会に住む予定です。
こん中すごく寒いな。

辟易 (wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted)

船は、水平線の彼方に消えた。
部屋の電気が消えてしまいました。

How JLPT tests this pair

Sample item

「霞む」の意味は？

A. to grow hazy, to be misty (correct)
B. wince; shrink back; succumbing to; being frightened; disconcerted (distractor)
C. (other plausible meaning)
D. (other plausible meaning)