JLPT N3 Grammar – Nominalizing adjectives with み and さ

Table of Contents

1. The Difference Between Nominalization of Adjectives
2. Nominalization Using “み”
3. Nominalization Using “さ”
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment

Q: Is there a difference when adjectives are nominalized, as in “痛いたみ” and “痛いたさ”?

A: Yes, there is a slight difference.
Adjectives can be turned into nouns by adding “み” or “さ”.
However, although “み” and “さ” may look similar, there is a slight difference in nuance.

Basically,
“み” expresses the feeling, quality, or characteristic itself.
“さ” expresses the degree, intensity, or amount.
Now, let’s look at how each one is used and how they are different.

Nominalization Using “み” (JLPT N3)

[Rule]　　
[A] い adjectiveい＋み　

[Point]
“み” is often used to express sensations, emotions, taste, texture, and similar qualities.
Examples: 痛いたみ (pain), 甘あまみ (sweetness), 悲かなしみ (sadness), かゆみ (itchiness), 苦にがみ (bitterness), うまみ (umami), 重おもみ (weight), 深ふかみ (depth), 厚あつみ (thickness), etc.
*It is important to note that the words that can be used with “み” are quite limited.

[Examples]
年としを取とってひざに痛いたみを感かんじるようになりました。
As I have gotten older, I have started to feel pain in my knees.

このいちごは甘あまみが強つよいです。
These strawberries have a strong sweetness.

大事だいじな犬いぬを亡なくしてわたしたち家族かぞくは悲かなしみの中なかにいます。
After losing our beloved dog, my family is enveloped in sadness.

肌はだが乾燥かんそうするとかゆみが強つよくなります。
When my skin gets dry, the itchiness becomes more intense.

Nominalization Using “さ” (JLPT N3)

[Rules]
[A] い adjectivesい＋さ　
[Na] なadjectivesな＋さ
*For “いい”, use “よい”, which becomes “よさ”.

[Point]
“さ” is often used when nominalizing the quality expressed by an adjective as a degree or intensity.
Examples:
痛いたさ (pain), 甘あまさ (sweetness), 長ながさ (length), 高たかさ (height), 寒さむさ (coldness), 眠ねむさ (sleepiness), 嬉うれしさ (happiness), 便利べんりさ (convenience), 静しずかさ (quietness), etc.
Compared with “み”, “さ” can be used with many more adjectives.

[Examples]
出産しゅっさんは死しにそうなぐらいの痛いたさでした。
Giving birth was so painful that it felt like I was going to die.

この車くるまのシルエットのかっこよさが好すきなんだ。
I love the cool silhouette of this car.

N1に合格ごうかくした嬉うれしさは計はかり知しれません。
The joy of passing the N1 exam is immeasurable.

この町まちの便利べんりさが気きに入いっています。
I like the convenience of this town.

Let’s Compare

Basically, “み” expresses a sensation, quality, or characteristic, while “さ” expresses a specific degree.

[Examples]
年としを取とってひざに痛いたみを感かんじるようになりました。
As I have gotten older, I have started to feel pain in my knees.

In this sentence, “痛いたみ” expresses the sensation felt in the body itself.
On the other hand,

出産しゅっさんは死しにそうなぐらいの痛いたさでした。
Giving birth was so painful that it felt like I was going to die.

In this sentence, as we can see from the expression “死しにそうなぐらい”, “痛いたさ” expresses the degree of how painful something was.
Now, let’s think about the difference a little more deeply.

Let’s think a little more deeply about the differences.

[Exapmple]
厚あつみ VS 厚あつさ
このステーキの厚あつみはすごいですね。
このステーキの厚あつさはすごいですね。
The thickness of this steak is incredible.

In this case, the meaning can be understood with either expression.
However, there is a slight difference in nuance.
“厚あつみ” expresses the characteristic or presence that the steak has.
It gives the impression that it is thick and has volume.
On the other hand, “厚あつさ” expresses a specific measurement or degree, such as how many centimeters thick it is.
In other words, the difference is as follows:
厚あつみ: characteristic, texture, presence
厚あつさ: measurement, degree

[Exapmple]
甘あまみ VS 甘あまさ
このいちごジュースは甘あまみがあって人気にんきです。

This strawberry juice is popular because it has a pleasant sweetness.

ここのジュースは甘あまさのレベルを変かえられます。

You can adjust the level of sweetness in the juice here.

“甘あまみ” expresses the sweet taste itself.
It is used when you want to say that there is a sweet quality as a characteristic of the taste.
On the other hand, “甘あまさ” expresses the degree of sweetness.
It is often used when thinking of sweetness as intensity or amount, as in expressions such as “甘あまさ控ひかえめ” (mildly sweet), “甘あまさを調整ちょうせいする” (adjust the level of sweetness), and “甘あまさのレベル” (level of sweetness).

Adjectives That Cannot Use “み”

Actually, there are limits to which adjectives can be used with “み”.
For example, with “長ながい”, you can say “長ながさ”, but you cannot say “長ながみ”.

[Examples of adjectives that are difficult or impossible to use with “み”]
白しろい(white)・黒くろい(black)・大おおきい(big)・かたい(hard)・太ふとい(thick)・新あたらしい(new)・いい/よい(good)・悪わるい(bad)・難むずかしい(difficult)・高たかい(tall/high)・安やすい(cheap)・うれしい(happy)・眠ねむい(sleepy)・
寒さむい(cold)・暑あつい(hot)・冷つめたい(cold to touch)・熱あつい(hot to touch)・忙いそがしい(busy)・
おいしい(delicious)・しょっぱい(salty)・すっぱい(sour)

Sometimes “さ” Is Used Even with Emotions and Sensations

We explained that “み” expresses sensations and qualities, but even with adjectives that express sensations or emotions, “み” is not always used.
For example, the following words naturally use “さ”.

[Examples]　
このうれしさは言葉ことばでは表現ひょうげんできません。
This happiness cannot be expressed in words.
　　　　
眠ねむさががまんできなくて昼寝ひるねをしました。
I couldn’t bear the sleepiness and took a nap.
　　　　
今年ことしの寒さむさは去年きょねんよりましです。
This year’s cold is better than last year’s.

In this way, even when expressing emotions or sensations, “さ” is used when you want to describe them as a degree or state.

Summary

[Nominalization Using “み”]

• Expresses the feeling, quality, or characteristic itself.
• It has limits on which adjectives can be used.
• It cannot be used with every adjective.

[Nominalization Using “さ”]

• Expresses degree, intensity, or amount.
• It can be used with more adjectives than “み”.
• It can be used with both い adjectives and な adjectives.
• When you are not sure, it is a good idea to first consider whether “さ” can be used.

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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