試験|しけんshiken[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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- noun, suru verb, transitive verbexamination; exam; test
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbtrial; experiment; test
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 試験する(しけんする) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 試験します(しけんします) |
| Negative (nai) | 試験しない(しけんしない) |
| polite (masen) | 試験しません(しけんしません) |
| classical zu / nu | 試験せず・試験せぬ(しけんせず・しけんせぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 試験した(しけんした) |
| polite (mashita) | 試験しました(しけんしました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 試験しなかった(しけんしなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 試験しませんでした(しけんしませんでした) |
| Te form | 試験して(しけんして) |
| Potential | 試験できる(しけんできる) |
| Passive | 試験される(しけんされる) |
| Causative | 試験させる(しけんさせる) |
| Causative passive | 試験させられる(しけんさせられる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 試験すれば(しけんすれば) |
| tara | 試験したら(しけんしたら) |
| Volitional | 試験しよう(しけんしよう) |
| polite (mashou) | 試験しましょう(しけんしましょう) |
| Imperative | 試験しろ(しけんしろ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- SynonymテストNeutralNeutral loanword for everyday quizzes and product tests, as in 「漢字テスト」; 試験 points to formal exams such as entrance or qualification tests.
- Synonym考査こうさWrittenWritten word for school periodic tests, as in 「期末考査」, and for assessing people; in speech 試験 is the usual word.
- SynonymトライアルNeutralLoanword for a trial run or trial use, as in 「無料トライアル」.
- Synonym試しためしCasualNoun for giving something a try, as in 「試しにやってみる」; leans colloquial.
- Synonym試すためすNeutralVerb for trying or testing something out, as in 「実力を試す」.
- Synonym考試こうしWrittenWritten-style word for a pass/fail examination; rarely seen today, with 試験 the everyday choice.
- Synonym試問しもんWrittenAn assessment by putting questions to someone, usually as 「口頭試問」; the emphasis is on face-to-face questioning.
- Related検定けんていFormalFormal word for certification and approval: proficiency exams like 「漢字検定」 or vetting such as 「教科書検定」; not every qualification exam is a 検定.
- Related審査しんさFormalFormal word for screening and judging, as in 「書類審査」 or 「入国審査」; the focus is on deciding whether something passes.
- Related試みこころみWrittenWritten-style noun for a new attempt or initiative, as in 「新しい試み」.
- Related試しWrittenMostly used as a prefix, as in 「試作」 or 「試運転」; hardly ever stands alone.
- RelatedテスティングWrittenLoanword for the testing of software or products; mostly a technical term.
- Related小手調べこてしらべCasualColloquial word for a light warm-up try before the real thing, as in 「小手調べに一曲」.
- Related験するけんするWrittenWritten verb for testing or verifying something; quite rare, with 「確かめる」 the everyday choice.
Use 「試験」 for formal exams like 「入学試験」 and 「定期試験」. For everyday quizzes or product tests say 「テスト」; for school periodic tests 「考査」; for certification exams 「検定」; for screening 「審査」. To try something out, use the verb 「試す」 or noun 「試み」, and 「トライアル」 for trial use.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


