It begins.

The hell of a thousand conditions...

No, no.

I should rephrase that.

Today's lesson is about a bunch of words that get translated to "condition" ...or "state" ...or "circumstance" ...or "situation."

Words that, to me, either (A) don't seem to mean what my dictionary says at all or (B) seem to mean the exact same thing as other words that are used differently.

Remember that giant list of words from yesterday's lesson?

現状（げんじょう / present condition; existing state）
状況（じょうきょう / situation; circumstances; conditions）
状態（じょうたい / current status; condition; situation）
条件（じょうけん / conditions; terms; requirements）
調子（ちょうし / condition; state of health; tune）
現在（げんざい / now; present (time)）
実際（じっさい / reality; actuality; actual conditions）
事情（じじょう / circumstances, conditions）
実情／実状（じつじょう / real condition; actual circumstances; actual state of affairs）
体調（たいちょう / physical condition）

That list (as a whole) stresses me out.

So, change of plans.

Let's just look at 2 of those words.

(Attention, Uber-Nerds: Don't panic that we're passing up surgical breakdowns of some of these words. I'll include flashcards and example sentences of them in the compiled lesson pack for Lessons #61-90... which will probably be released 1-2 months from now. Also, if you keep studying, you'll encounter these words naturally at some point, anyways.)

Two words that I sometimes think are vastly different... and other times think might be exactly the same:

-------------------------------------
状況（じょうきょう / situation; circumstances; conditions）
↑　↑　↑　↑　↑　↑
💀　💀　💀　💀
↓　↓　↓　↓　↓　↑
状態（じょうたい / current status; condition; situation）
-------------------------------------

Torturous Word Definitions

Looking up a way to explain the differences between 状況（じょうきょう）and 状態（じょうたい）, I came to the following conclusion:

Either (A) Japanese people suck at explaining the difference between these two words, (B) there is no difference between these two words, or (C) I personally am somehow lacking the mental capacity to understand this.

There are a couple of reasons for my confusion:

#1 - The dictionary definitions are practically identical.
Looking at a Japanese dictionary will help to explain why I get so confused about these words.

Here's the definition of 状況（じょうきょう）：

移り変わる物事の、
その時々のありさま。
うつりかわる　ものごと　の、
その　ときどき　の　ありさま。
The state of a changing thing at certain times.

And now for 状態（じょうたい）：

人や物事の、
ある時点でのありさま。
ひと　や　ものごと　の、
ある　じてん　で　の　ありさま。
The state of a person or thing at a specific point in time.

Brain. Cannot. Process.

Too. Boring.

#2 - Bad teachers everywhere.
I read through several questions on forums about the differences between these words, and most answers were just quotes from dictionaries.

Yikes.

But, I did not despair.

More googling! More questions!

And at last, I started getting some answers.

Answers which, as luck would have it, also have some good language for us to study...

Distinction #1 - The State of the Ground VS The State on the Ground

Here's a quote from this webpage:

(Note: This Japanese uses the word グラウンド, which at first I thought just meant "ground," but later learned is the word for the "sports ground" they have at schools. It's basically a big open area for running around and stuff. They always seem to be dirt in Tokyo. But Rei told me that's not always the case.)

Japanese Only

１　シンプルに考えれば、

２　状態は、「人や物の様子」。

３　状況は、「出来事の様子」です。

４　グラウンドの状態=グラウンドそのものの様子。

５　グラウンドの状況=グラウンド上で起きている「出来事」の様子。

Japanese with Kana

１　シンプルに考えれば、
１　シンプル　に　かんがえれば、

２　状態は、「人や物の様子」。
２　じょうたい　は、「ひと　や　もの　の　ようす」。

３　状況は、「出来事の様子」です。
３　じょうきょう　は、「できごと　の　ようす」　です。

４　グラウンドの状態=グラウンドそのものの様子。
４　グラウンド　の　じょうたい　=　グラウンド　そのもの　の　ようす。

５　グラウンドの状況=グラウンド上で起きている「出来事」の様子。
５　グラウンド　の　じょうきょう　=　グラウンド　うえ　で　おきている　「できごと」　の　ようす。

Japanese with Kana & English

１　シンプルに考えれば、
１　シンプル　に　かんがえれば、
１　Thinking about it in simple terms,

２　状態は、「人や物の様子」。
２　じょうたい　は、「ひと　や　もの　の　ようす」。
２　状態（じょうたい）is for the state of a person or thing.

３　状況は、「出来事の様子」です。
３　じょうきょう　は、「できごと　の　ようす」　です。
３　状況（じょうきょう）is for the state of an event or incident.

４　グラウンドの状態=グラウンドそのものの様子。
４　グラウンド　の　じょうたい　イコール　グラウンド　そのもの　の　ようす。
４　The 状態（じょうたい）of the sports ground = The state of the sports ground itself.

５　グラウンドの状況=グラウンド上で起きている「出来事」の様子。
５　グラウンド　の　じょうきょう　イコール　グラウンド　うえ　で　おきている　「できごと」　の　ようす。
５　The 状況（じょうきょう）of the sports ground = The incidents happening on the sports ground.

I knew it!

I actually tried to explain this to Rei, but maybe my explanation sucked, because she didn't get what I was saying.

🚲　⚠　🚲　⚠　🚲　⚠　🚲　⚠　🚲

For example, imagine that...

You're riding your bicycle in Tokyo.

Bam! A fat, mean, and extremely ill-tempered old lady crashes into you.

Bodies go flying.

Bikes go flying.

The good news: No one is hurt.

The bad news: Your bikes are ruined, and the old lady says it's all your fault and you owe her $200!

🚲　⚠　🚲　⚠　🚲　⚠　🚲　⚠　🚲

Pop Quiz!

The condition of your bike is: Broken.

Is this "condition" 状況（じょうきょう）or 状態（じょうたい）?

Space to think and cry:
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓
↓　😢　↓　😢　↓　😢　↓

The answer is... 状態（じょうたい）！！！

That's because 状態（じょうたい）is for the thing itself.

If you look up a phrase like 自転車の状態（じてんしゃ　の　じょうたい）online, you will get over 300,000 results. Specifically, you get articles like these:

A YouTube Playlist titled:

自転車の状態を点検しよう。
じてんしゃ　の　じょうたい　を　てんけん　しよう。
Let's check the condition of our bicycles.
Literally: "bike + の + condition / state / status + を + inspection / examination + let's do."
Note: He's checking the (physical condition of the) bike itself. Thus, 状態（じょうたい）is appropriate.

We also get this page, which is about a parking area for bicycles:

駐輪場に停めている間に自転車の状態を無料点検。
ちゅうりんじょう　に　とめている　あいだ　に　じてんしゃ　の　じょうたい　を　むりょう　てんけん。
Free bike inspections while your bike is left in the parking area.
Literally: "bike parking area + に + leave (something) (somewhere) (for a time) + time span + に + bike + の + condition / status / state + を + free + inspection / examination."

And you get suggested articles like this:

自転車操業状態
じてんしゃそうぎょう　じょうたい
borrowing money to pay off a loan
Literally: "bike + operation + condition / status / state."
Note: In case you didn't notice, this is an idiom.

自転車パンク状態
じてんしゃ　パンク　じょうたい
bike with a flat tire
Literally: "bike + flat tire [puncture] + condition / status / state."
Note: Yeah, パンク is the word for "flat tire." I'm guess it comes from the word "puncture."

自転車パンクした状態で走る
じてんしゃ　パンク　した　じょうたい　で　はしる
riding a bike with a flat tire
Literally: "bike + flat tire [puncture] + did + condition / status / state + で + run."

HOWEVER ＼(◎o◎)／！

We also get over 300,000 results when looking up 自転車の状況（じてんしゃ　の　じょうきょう）.

You will find, however, that the content of the articles varies considerably...

Pretty much all of the pages that show up are published by local governments talking about 放置自転車（ほうち　じてんしゃ）. This word refers to the illegal parking (also, stealing and swapping) of bikes in public spaces. Here's a Wikipedia article about the problem.

Also, here are some pictures of illegally parked bicycles:

Local government officials love complaining about illegal bike parking:

You'll see that the recommended searches in Google differ considerably, as well:

More or less, those articles are all about the same thing:

自転車関連事故の状況
じてんしゃ　かんれん　じこ　の　じょうきょう
The situation with bike-related accidents
Literally: "bicycle + relation + accident + の + state of affairs / situation / condition."

OK...

The point is that all of the articles about 自転車の状態（じてんしゃ　の　じょうたい）are about the bikes themselves.

And none of the articles about 自転車の状況（じてんしゃ　の　じょうきょう）are about the actual bikes. Rather, they are about situations involving bikes.

This is further exemplified in the other good explanation I found online...

This other distinction between 状態（じょうたい）and 状況（じょうきょう）is a bit harder for me to understand.

So wish me luck explaining it.

Here's what our 先輩（せんぱい）on Yahoo Answers says...

(Note: We also have some useful phrases about the weather and stuff here. Score!)

Japanese Only

１　今日の天気はどう？お空見てみて。

２「曇ってるよ」

３　・・・・・・これが「状態」、今の様子だね。

４　まだ曇ってる？どう？

５「さっきは曇ってたけど晴れてきたよ！」

６　・・・これが「状況」、変わっていくことだよ。

７　お腹痛いよ～～

８　は「状態」

９　ちょっと治ってきた！

１０　は「状況」

Japanese & Kana

１　今日の天気はどう？お空見てみて。
１　きょう　の　てんき　は　どう？　おそら　みてみて

２「曇ってるよ」
２「くもってる　よ」

３　・・・・・・これが「状態」、今の様子だね。
３　・・・・・・これ　が　「じょうたい」、　いま　の　ようす　だ　ね。

４　まだ曇ってる？どう？
４　まだ　くもってる？　どう？

５「さっきは曇ってたけど晴れてきたよ！」
５「さっき　は　くもってた　けど　はれて　きた　よ！」

６　・・・これが「状況」、変わっていくことだよ。
６　・・・これ　が　「じょうきょう」、かわって　いく　こと　だ　よ。

７　お腹痛いよ～～
７　おなか　いたい　よ～～

８　は「状態」
８　は「じょうたい」

９　ちょっと治ってきた！
９　ちょっと　なおって　きた！

１０　は「状況」
１０　は「じょうきょう」

Japanese, Kana, & English

１　今日の天気はどう？お空見てみて。
１　きょう　の　てんき　は　どう？　おそら　みてみて
１　How's the weather today? Take a look at the sky.

２「曇ってるよ」
２「くもってる　よ」
２　"It's cloudy."

３　・・・・・・これが「状態」、今の様子だね。
３　・・・・・・これ　が　「じょうたい」、　いま　の　ようす　だ　ね。
３　...This is 状態（じょうたい）, the current state of something.

４　まだ曇ってる？どう？
４　まだ　くもってる？　どう？
４　How about now? Is it still cloudy?

５「さっきは曇ってたけど晴れてきたよ！」
５「さっき　は　くもってた　けど　はれて　きた　よ！」
５　"It was cloudy a little while ago, but now it's cleared up."

６　・・・これが「状況」、変わっていくことだよ。
６　・・・これ　が　「じょうきょう」、かわって　いく　こと　だ　よ。
６　...This is 状況（じょうきょう）, a change of something.

７　お腹痛いよ～～
７　おなか　いたい　よ～～
７　My stomach hurts!

８　は「状態」
８　は「じょうたい」
８　...is 状態（じょうたい）.

９　ちょっと治ってきた！
９　ちょっと　なおって　きた！
９　It's a little better now!

１０　は「状況」
１０　は「じょうきょう」
１０　...is 状況（じょうきょう）.

Honestly, I'm not sure.

Let's say:
Distinction #1 = "D1"
Distinction #2 = "D2"

I can kind of see how the actual state of a thing, like a bike with a flat tire (D1) is the same as the current state of a thing (D2), whereas the general state of affairs of an incident or happening (D1) is the same as a changing phenomenon (D2).

But I just *sort of* get it.

And that's good enough, I think.

For me, they do.

For one thing, both of these words (all of those words listed above, actually) show up a lot in news publications. And being able to read the newspaper is a good measure of one's reading comprehension... or so they say.

But if you don't really care, then just use them interchangeably and make your teacher worry about correcting you. It'll probably sink in eventually!

Speaking of which...

What sentences do I memorize?!

How about these ones...

歯の状態が悪い。
は　の　じょうたい　が　わるい。
My teeth are messed up. // My tooth is having some problems.
Literally: "took + の + condition / state + が + bad."

バラバラの状態で買った。(棚とか)
バラバラ　の　じょうたい　で　かった。（たな　とか）
It wasn't assembled when I bought it (e.g. a shelf/shelves).
Literally: "scattered / in pieces + の + condition / state + で + bought. + (shelf + とか).

状況を説明してください。
じょうきょう　を　せつめい　して　ください。
Please explain the situation.
Literally: "situation + を + explanation + do + please."

これはどういう状況？
これ　は　どういう　じょうきょう？
What (in the world) is going on here?
Literally: "this + は + what kind of + situation?"
Note: I asked Rei to explain when we'd say this. She gave two awesome examples. (1) You see a video of a guy on YouTube getting chased by a hippo, and you think What the... In other words, what kind of situation could this happen in? What is happening? (2) Or maybe you get invited to a 合コン（ごうこん）, which is like a group blind date, but then everyone there is already dating and kissing and stuff and you have no idea why you were even invited. So you think, What the...

Happy studies, yo!

Bonus Phrases

今日の体育はグラウンドだ。
きょう　の　たいいく　は　グラウンド　だ。
Today P.E. is in the sports field [is outside].
Note:In Japan, physical education classes might be inside, in a 体育館（たいいくかん // gymnasium）or outside, on the グラウンド（sports field）

駅前の放置自転車の状況はかなりひどい。
えきまえ　の　ほうちじてんしゃ　の　じょうきょう　は　かなり　ひどい。
The illegal bike parking (situation) in front of the station is quite bad.

レイ先輩見た？
レイ　せんぱい　みた？
Have you seen Rei-senpai?