N2 Vocabulary · Test 134

すきま (隙間) means a gap, crack, or narrow space between things. The stem '物と物との間のせまい空間' (a narrow space between objects) directly defines this word.

• 2さかい (境) means a boundary or border between two areas, not a physical narrow space between objects.
• 3ふち (縁) means the edge or brim of something, not the space between things.
• 4わき (脇) means the side or beside something, not a narrow gap between objects.

• すきま — gap, crack, narrow space between things
• さかい — boundary, border
• ふち — edge, brim
• わき — side, beside

全 (ぜん) is a prefix meaning 'all' or 'entire,' attached before a word to express 'all things belonging to a certain range' (ある範囲に属するすべて). Examples: 全員 (all members), 全国 (the whole country), 全部 (all of it).

• 1約 (やく) means 'approximately' and does not express 'all.'
• 2各 (かく) means 'each' or 'every,' focusing on individual items rather than the entirety of a range.
• 4半 (はん) means 'half,' which is the opposite of 'all.'

• 全ぜん — all, entire (prefix)
• 約やく — approximately
• 各かく — each, every
• 半はん — half

引きとめる (引き止める) means to stop someone from leaving, to detain, or to hold someone back. The stem '帰ろうとする人に帰らないように言う' (to tell someone who is about to leave not to go) is exactly this word's meaning.

• 1取りかえる (取り替える) means to replace or exchange one thing for another, unrelated to stopping someone from leaving.
• 2引きかえる (引き替える) means to exchange or swap, not to detain someone.
• 3取りいれる (取り入れる) means to adopt, take in, or harvest, unrelated to the context.

• 引ひきとめる — to stop someone from leaving, to detain
• 取とりかえる — to replace, exchange
• 引ひきかえる — to exchange, swap
• 取とりいれる — to adopt, take in, harvest

かってに (勝手に) means doing something as one pleases, selfishly, or arbitrarily without asking permission. The stem '許可を得ないでしてしまうようす' (the manner of doing something without obtaining permission) matches this perfectly.

• 2ひとりでに (独りでに) means 'spontaneously' or 'on its own' (something happens by itself without human intervention), not acting without permission.
• 3さかんに (盛んに) means 'vigorously' or 'actively,' unrelated to doing something without permission.
• 4せっせと means 'diligently' or 'earnestly,' describing effort, not acting without authorization.

• かってに — selfishly, arbitrarily, without permission
• ひとりでに — spontaneously, on its own
• さかんに — vigorously, actively
• せっせと — diligently, earnestly

ところで is a conjunction used to change the topic of conversation, equivalent to 'by the way' in English. The stem '別の話題に移ろうとする時に使う' (used when moving to a different topic) is its exact function.

• 1ところが means 'however' or 'but,' introducing an unexpected or contrary result, not a topic change.
• 3それに means 'besides' or 'moreover,' adding further information to the same topic, not switching topics.
• 4それとも means 'or,' presenting an alternative choice, not changing the topic.

• ところで — by the way (used to change topics)
• ところが — however, but (contrary to expectation)
• それに — besides, moreover
• それとも — or (presenting an alternative)

さっそく（早速）means 'immediately, right away, without delay' and describes acting promptly — exactly matching the definition すぐ行動するようす (the state of acting immediately).

• 1ふと means 'suddenly, unintentionally, by chance' (e.g., ふと思い出す 'suddenly recall'). It describes an unconscious/unintended action, not prompt deliberate action.
• 3ようやく means 'finally, at last' after a long wait or effort. It implies something took time, the opposite of すぐ (immediately).
• 4ついに means 'finally, in the end' — reaching a conclusion after a process. It does not convey promptness.

• さっそく — immediately, right away, without delay
• ふと — suddenly, unintentionally, by chance
• ようやく — finally, at last (after a long wait)
• ついに — finally, in the end

長所（ちょうしょ）means 'strong point, merit, good quality' — a place/aspect where someone or something excels, matching すぐれているところ.

• 1高所（こうしょ）means 'high place, elevated location' (e.g., 高所恐怖症 'fear of heights'). It is a physical high spot, not a merit.
• 2満点（まんてん）means 'perfect score, full marks' (e.g., 試験で満点を取る). It refers to a score, not a strong point.
• 4頂点（ちょうてん）means 'peak, summit, apex' — the highest point of something, not a strong point or merit.

• 長所ちょうしょ — strong point, merit, good quality
• 高所こうしょ — high place, elevated location
• 満点まんてん — perfect score, full marks
• 頂点ちょうてん — peak, summit, apex

つきあたる（突き当たる）means 'to come up against, to hit/run into (a wall, obstacle, dead end)' — when something is in front of you and you can no longer proceed. This matches 前に何かがあって、それより先に進めなくなる perfectly.

• 1ひきかえす（引き返す）means 'to turn back, to retrace one's steps' — going back the way you came, not being blocked by something ahead.
• 2たちどまる（立ち止まる）means 'to come to a halt, to stop walking' — stopping on one's own, not necessarily because something blocks the path.
• 3すれちがう（すれ違う）means 'to pass each other, to cross paths' — two people/things moving past each other, unrelated to being blocked.

• つきあたる — to come up against, to run into (an obstacle/wall)
• ひきかえす — to turn back, to retrace one's steps
• たちどまる — to come to a halt, to stop (while walking)
• すれちがう — to pass each other, to cross paths

だまる（黙る）means 'to be silent, to stop talking' — exactly matching 話すのをやめる.

• 2つぶる（瞑る）means 'to close (one's eyes)' (e.g., 目を瞑る). It has nothing to do with stopping speech.
• 3とじる（閉じる）means 'to close (a book, door, store, etc.)' (e.g., 本を閉じる). It is not about stopping talking.
• 4しまう means 'to put away, to finish (doing something)' (e.g., 食べてしまう). It does not specifically mean to stop talking.

• だまる — to be silent, to stop talking
• つぶる — to close (one's eyes)
• とじる — to close (a book, door, etc.)
• しまう — to put away, to finish (completely)

思いがけない（思い掛けない）means 'unexpected, unforeseen, surprising' — exactly matching 予期しない意外なようす.

• 2にくめない（憎めない）means 'hard to hate, likeable, endearing' (e.g, 憎めない性格). It describes charm, not unexpectedness.
• 3くだらない means 'worthless, trivial, pointless' (e.g., くだらない話). It describes low value, not surprise.
• 4たまらない means 'unbearable, intolerable, overwhelming' (e.g., 暑くてたまらない). It describes extreme degree, not unexpectedness.

• 思おもいがけない — unexpected, unforeseen, surprising
• にくめない — hard to hate, likeable, endearing
• くだらない — worthless, trivial, pointless
• たまらない — unbearable, intolerable, overwhelming