JLPT N2 Vocabulary – Difference between “調節” and “調整”

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “調節ちょうせつ” and “調整ちょうせい“
2. 調節ちょうせつ
3. 調整ちょうせい
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment

Q: Can you explain the difference between “調節ちょうせつ” and “調整ちょうせい“?

A: These two words are very similar and easy to confuse, but let’s learn the key points to distinguish and use them correctly.

調節ちょうせつ (JLPT N2)

Let’s first understand the meaning of the kanji.

The kanji “調ちょう” means “to become desirable or proper” and “to be arranged or balanced,” while “節せつ” means “to adjust perfectly.”

When these two are combined, they mean “to adjust something so that it becomes better.” The premise is that the current state is not too bad, but you want to make it even better (ideal state). The key point is to make adjustments gradually to achieve a better state.

[Point]
It is often used in relation to the following words:
taste, volume, height, length, temperature

[Examples]
料理りょうりに砂糖さとうを入いれて甘あまさを調節ちょうせつします。
I adjust the sweetness by adding sugar to the dish.

ボリュームを調節ちょうせつしたら音おとが聞きこえやすくなりました。
Adjusting the volume made the sound easier to hear.

パソコンの高たかさを調節ちょうせつしたら見みやすくなりました。
Adjusting the height of the computer made it easier to see.

画像がぞうの位置いちとサイズを調節ちょうせつしましょう。
Let’s adjust the position and size of the image.

調整ちょうせい (JLPT N2)

The kanji “整せい” means “to arrange accurately,” and combined with “調ちょう“, it means “to adjust the current state to meet the best standard.”

It is used when the current situation is worse compared to a certain standard or ideal situation and is not balanced, referring to the act of changing the state itself. Additionally, it implies that there is a certain standard or goal to be met.

“調節ちょうせつ” can be divided into three meanings. Let’s also check the words commonly used in these contexts.

① Adjusting and fixing something that is in bad condition
　 settings, balance, volume, color, temperature, height
② Adjusting to meet a certain standard and eliminating excess or deficiency
　 budget, personnel
③ Balancing to achieve an agreement between two parties
　 schedule, plan, agenda, time, opinion

[Examples]
部屋へやの温度おんど調整ちょうせいをしたらちょうど良よくなりました。
Adjusting the room temperature made it just right.

スタッフが多おおすぎるから、人員じんいんを調整ちょうせいしましょう。
There are too many staff members, so let’s adjust the personnel.

時間じかんを調整ちょうせいしてみんなが来きられるようにしました。
I adjusted the time so that everyone could come.

このめがねは度数どすうを調整ちょうせいしないといけません。
These glasses need to have the prescription adjusted.

Let’s Compare

What is common to both is “to improve a situation by making adjustments.”
However, “調節ちょうせつ” is used when improving a state that is not bad to a better state, without a set standard. “調整ちょうせい” is used when improving a bad state to a good state, with a set standard.

Therefore, the following two sentences are both grammatically correct, but their meanings are different.

[Examples]
部屋へやの温度おんどを調節ちょうせつします。
I adjust the room temperature.
⇒ The room temperature is not bad, but the speaker makes it more comfortable.

暑あついので部屋へやの温度おんどを調整ちょうせいします。
Since it’s hot, I adjust the room temperature.
⇒ The room is hot (a bad state), so the speaker will change it to a better state.

Summary

[調節ちょうせつ]

• It means “to adjust something so that it becomes better.”
• It is used when the current state is not too bad, but you want to make it even better (ideal state).

[調整ちょうせい]

• It means “to adjust the current state to meet the best standard.”
• It is used when the current situation is worse compared to a certain standard or ideal situation and is not balanced.
• It refers to the act of changing the state itself.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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