English Translation
She doesn’t understand sarcasm.
Is there any subtlety of difference between 解す、わかる、理解する、解く?
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@ericaw
Note that 解す can be pronounced as ほぐす in Kun-yomi or かいす in On-yomi. But the original transcription is incorrect. It should be かいす, not ほぐす. That probably made you confused.
解す (かいす)、分かる、and 理解する are synonyms while 解く (とく) is different from the others. Let me explain about 解く first.
The Kanji 解 means “to break something hard into pieces”.
解く is used in the context of:
I answered the quiz. = クイズを解いた。or クイズに解答した。
Tom released the hostage. = トムは人質の拘束を解いた or 人質を解放した。
Mary became sober from the mind controlling by the cult. = メアリーはカルト宗教のマインドコントロールから解き放たれた。or 解脱した。
All of the three examples have a similar image of “it’s so hard to break through”. 解く is probably close to “to dismantle” in English.
解す (ほぐす) is used in:
I flaked a slice of grilled salmon. = 焼き鮭の身を解した。
The masseur rubbed my shoulders to release the stiffness. = マッサージ師に肩の凝りを解してもらった。
We don’t say ほぐす in the context of “understanding”. Never.
Next, 理解する (understand) and its synonyms are also derived from the image of “to break something hard into pieces”. But the purpose of them is different from 解く (とく). You need to make something in pieces when you relish the taste and digest the nutrients of meals. Likewise, you need to decompose unfamiliar concepts or facts into pieces in order to fully understand.
理解する and 解す (かいす) are interchangeable. 理解する is more widely used both in conversations and writings. 解す is suitable in formal literary or metaphorical expressions.
The difference between 理解する and 分かる is vague but the degree of understanding. 分かる sometimes means “to recognize”. It’s more superficial. On the other hand, 理解する is more like “to comprehend” or “to understand the details (piece by piece)”.
Let me know if you have further questions.
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