Why do JLPT N4 learners confuse 止む with 受ける?

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 止む or 受ける more common on JLPT N4?

Both appear in the JLPT N4 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 Change & Process theme of N4 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 N4 · Elementary · Meaning confusion

止む vs 受ける

Q: What's the difference between 止む and 受ける?

止む (やむ) means "to cease, to stop" and 受ける (うける) means "to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive". Both are short, common verbs describing an event's reception or cessation. Learners might mix up these two-mora actions that occur in response to external circumstances or instructions.

Why JLPT N4 learners mix up 止む (やむ, “to cease, to stop”) and 受ける (うける, “to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive”).

止む

やむ

to cease, to stop

verb

受ける

うける

to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive

verb

Theme: Change & ProcessJLPT N4

Why these get confused

Both are short, common verbs describing an event's reception or cessation. Learners might mix up these two-mora actions that occur in response to external circumstances or instructions.

How to tell them apart

Anchor on the meaning, not the form. 止む (to cease, to stop) and 受ける (to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive) 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

止む (to cease, to stop)

雨は止む兆しが無い。
通り雨だからすぐ止むよ。

受ける (to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive)

噂話を真に受けるな。
僕は罰を受けるだろう。

How JLPT tests this pair

On JLPT N4, 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

「止む」の意味は？

A. to cease, to stop (correct)
B. to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive (distractor)
C. (other plausible meaning)
D. (other plausible meaning)

Drill this pair until it sticks

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Practice N4 confusion pairs

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Both describe the "ending" or "stopping" of a current state. 止む is used specifically for weather phenomena like rain, while 別れる is used for people parting ways or ending a relationship.

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Meaning confusion · Change & Process

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Both are common verbs describing a result or response in professional settings. A learner might confuse "accepting" (承知) a report with the "increasing" (増える) numbers or data mentioned within that report.

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Meaning confusion · Change & Process

試合 vs 別れる

A 'match' (試合) usually concludes with the participants 'parting' (別れる). The conceptual link between a competition and its inevitable conclusion often causes learners to mix them up.

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Meaning confusion · Change & Process

決る vs 増える

Both describe a transition to a final or new state. A plan "is decided" (決る) once the necessary resources or participants "increase" (増える) to the required level for implementation.

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Frequently asked

止む vs 受ける

Why JLPT N4 learners mix up 止む (やむ, “to cease, to stop”) and 受ける (うける, “to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive”).

止む

やむ

to cease, to stop

verb

受ける

うける

to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive

verb

Theme: Change & ProcessJLPT N4

Why these get confused

Both are short, common verbs describing an event's reception or cessation. Learners might mix up these two-mora actions that occur in response to external circumstances or instructions.

How to tell them apart

Anchor on the meaning, not the form. 止む (to cease, to stop) and 受ける (to take (an examination, interview, etc.); to receive) 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.