強弱
Meanings
1
strength and weakness; degree of strength
Refers to the relative strength or intensity of something, often used in contexts like physical force, light, flavor, or abstract qualities.
You can adjust the strength of this coffee.
The atmosphere changes with the intensity of the light.
2
stress; loudness
Used in phonetics or music to describe the emphasis or volume of a sound.
Japanese accent is expressed by pitch, not stress.
In a performance, the loudness and softness of the notes are important.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉に強弱をつけるto add variation in intensity/loudness to something
When playing the piano, it's good to vary the loudness of the notes.
- 〈物〉に強弱があるfor something to have variation in strength or intensity
This earthquake's intensity varies depending on the location.
- 〈物〉の強弱をつけるto control/vary the strength of something (e.g. light, force)
They staged the show by varying the intensity of the lighting.