# 表す vs 示す



## adexx

Hello everyone,

Could you tell me if both 表す and 示す can be used in the case of "expressing/show (commitment, gratitude, respect, affection etc.)"?
If both are correct, what is the difference in nuance/meaning?

Tks


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## karlalou

We need context.

I think there's many cases where 表す or 示す can interchangeably work, but
敬意 or 感謝 or 気持ち is usually something we express, 表す.

示す is good at indication.
We say 統計を以下のグラフに示します in a report, but we don't say 私は[好意・やる気]を*示します* (but it should be 私は好意を持っています、私はやる気があります).
However, this works when the subject is not First Person as in 人々は[好意・やる気]を示している because this statement is about something that the speaker perceived.


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## SoLaTiDoberman

Roughly speaking, it's the difference between "express (<--表す)" and "indicate (<--示す)."


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## frequency

Roughly speaking, either is okay. 好意を示す・好意を表す。 Use 表す when you talk about an image or photo like 「風情が表れている写真」. But check collocation carefully before use. Depending on the noun you use, both are okay.

日本語コロケーション辞典 テストページ （前ドーベルマンが張ってくれたのってこれでよかったっけ？）

類語辞典・シソーラス・対義語 - Weblio辞書


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## adexx

I see... Seems complicated.

How about "By (doing) this, we want to show our commitment to cooperation with you".


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## SoLaTiDoberman

『これをすることで、あなた方に協力せんとする我々の誠意をお示ししたいと存じます。』
『これをすることで、あなた方に協力せんとする我々の誠意を表したいと存じます。』
I prefer the first one because 誠意を and 示す have the better collocation.
However, the second sentence is not completely wrong.


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## frequency

SoLaTiDoberman said:


> I prefer the first one because 誠意を and 示す have the better collocation.
> However, the second sentence is not completely wrong.


I agree with you. The second one sounds milder, but the first implies stronger attitude. That may be better in business Japanese (not always, though).

adexx, as you said it's complicated.


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## adexx

Thank you all !


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## karlalou

adexx said:


> How about "By (doing) this, we want to show our commitment to cooperation with you".


誠心誠意を尽くします／尽くす所存です are common phrases I can think of right now.

Also
功績・功労を称え／敬意を／感謝の意を　（ここに）表(ひょう)します are formal expressions.

It would be the part where even natives have to think a bit before writing it down, if you want to go for something not too conventional.

I would say
ここに敬意を表（あらわ）したいと思います。
やる気をお見せします・お見せしたいと思います。
感謝の気持ちを記したいと思います or simply 感謝（いた）します・感謝しきれません。
but I wouldn't feel like using 示す here because I worry that it can sound like 'indicating' or 'teaching.'

I have no problem to say 誠意を示さないといけない、誠意を示してくれている, but here we are talking about when you tell your intention to someone important to you.


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## SoLaTiDoberman

I think #9 makes sense completely to me. 
It depends on the situation, context and background, but Japanese expressions should be modest, humble and polite in this kind of talks. In that case, 示す might not be proper.

On the other hands, for example, if the sentence is talking about Japan/Korea issues like 少女像問題, the sentence is basically a negotiating statement between the nations. In that case, the style should be formal and polite, but should not be too humble or modest. In that case 示す may be the candidate. When I saw the English at #5 and wrote the Japanese at #6, I thought of the similar contexts as 少女像問題.


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## frequency

SoLaTiDoberman said:


> It depends on the situation, context and background,


That's right. I know what you want to say.

As far as I read #5, adexx's firm says that they want to cooperate with their business partner.
表す means to describe/exhibit, so the partner may think like "You say you describe/exhibit it, but then so what?", if I speak spitefully.

But they both are really okay. In a usual business partnership, you don't need to be unnecessarily too polite these days.


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