"Express" and "Represent"

I often confused "express" with "represent."

The reason is that both of these words can be translated using one Japanese word "表す."

Therefore, I searched for the difference between these words today.

According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, "express" means "to show what you think or how you feel using words or actions," and "represent" means "to be a sign or symbol of something."

I thought something like the following: when we translate "表す" to English, we can use "express" for a nominative of living beings who are thinking something, we can use "represent" for a nominative of other objects.

I created the following sentences as a practice:

Japanese people often express the words "express" and "represent" with one Japanese word.

The picture on the dictionary represents the difference between "express" and "represent."

私はよく "express" と "represent" を間違えます。

その理由は、これらの単語はどちらも日本語で "表す" と訳すことができるからです。

そのため、今日はこの二つの違いについて調べました。

Cambridge Dictionaries Online によると、"express" は "言葉や行動によって、あなたの考えや感情を示すこと" とありました。

また、"represent" は "何かのサインやシンボルを表すこと" とありました。

"表す" を英語に訳すとき、何かを考えている生き物が主語なら "express," 物が主語なら "represent" を使うと良いのかもしれません。

試しに幾つか例文を作ってみました。

日本人はよく、"express" と "represent" を一つの日本語で表す。
Japanese people often express the words "express" and "represent" with one Japanese word.

その辞書に載っている絵は、"express" と "represent" の違いを表している。
The picture on the dictionary represents the difference between "express" and "represent."

• I often confused "express" with "represent."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• The reason is that both of these words can be translated using one Japanese word "表す."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Therefore, I searched for the difference between these words today.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, "express" means "to show what you think or how you feel using words or actions," and "represent" means "to be a sign or symbol of something."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• I thought something like the following: when we translate "表す" to English, we can use "express" for a nominative of living beings who are thinking something, we can use "represent" for a nominative of other objects.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• I created the following sentences as a practice:
• I created the following sentences as a practice:

• Japanese people often express the words "express" and "represent" with one Japanese word.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• The picture on the dictionary represents the difference between "express" and "represent."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

Very well done!

• I often confused "express" with "represent."
• I often confused "express" with "represent."

  Based on the native version, this should be present tense.

• The reason is that both of these words can be translated using one Japanese word "表す."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Therefore, I searched for the difference between these words today.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, "express" means "to show what you think or how you feel using words or actions," and "represent" means "to be a sign or symbol of something."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• I thought something like the following: when we translate "表す" to English, we can use "express" for a nominative of living beings who are thinking something, we can use "represent" for a nominative of other objects.
• I thought something like the following: when we translate "表す" to English, we can use "express" for a nominative of if the subjects are living beings who are thinking something, and we can use "represent" for if the subjects are a nominative of other objects.

  It's not that the sentence was incorrect; this is just how I would write it. When I see "nominative", I think of "nominative case" 「主格」. On the other hand, I would translate 「主語」 to "subject".

• Japanese people often express the words "express" and "represent" with one Japanese word.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• The picture on the dictionary represents the difference between "express" and "represent."
• The picture on in the dictionary represents the difference between "express" and "represent."

I think this is a good "rule of thumb" for translating 「表す」. Great job!