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This question is related to the questions
([here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2123/do-people-actually-
respect-the-nuances-of-%E6%8E%A2%E3%81%99-vs-%E6%8D%9C%E3%81%99)) and
([here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/6426/same-reading-
similar-meaning-different-kanji)) regarding a word or verb with multiple kanji
options, for example [作る、造る、創る] or [蔵、倉、庫]

Is there a resource somewhere that will tell me the nuance differences in
between the kanji? This can be in English or in Japanese. Teachers will often
give me a distinction, but I haven't found a way to look this up myself.
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kanji homophonic-kanji resources dictionary kanji-choice
Where can I find the nuance/meaning differences between words with different kanji options?
There is an official document (「異字同訓の漢字の使い分け例」) that covers a number of these.
For example:

> つくる ０８４  
>  【作る】こしらえる。米を作る。規則を作る。新記録を作る。計画を作る。詩を作る。笑顔を作る。  
>  会社を作る。機会を作る。組織を作る。  
>  【造る】大きなものをこしらえる。醸造する。  
>  船を造る。庭園を造る。宅地を造る。道路を造る。数寄屋造りの家。酒を造る。  
>  【創る*】独創性のあるものを生み出す。  
>  新しい文化を創（作）る。画期的な商品を創（作）り出す。  
>  * 一般的には「創る」の代わりに「作る」と表記しても差し支えないが，事柄の「独創性」を 明確に示したい場合には，「創る」を用いる。

Or this, which is admittedly a little less helpful.

> くら  
>  倉－倉敷料。倉荷証券。  
>  蔵－蔵屋敷。蔵払い。

See links from the [Wikipedia
article](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%8C%E8%A8%93%E7%95%B0%E5%AD%97)
or [online version](http://joyokanji.info/iji.html)
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While **ssb** ’s answer is absolutely sufficient, I want to point out—in
addition—an English resource that some may not think of in these
circumstances.

Of the three current, major kanji–English dictionaries (Nelson,
Spahn–Hadamitzky and Halpern), Jack Halpern’s [New Japanese–English Character
Dictionary](http://www.kanji.org/kanji/dictionaries/njecd/njecd.htm) is
actually rather well equipped with information suited for us beginners.

This is part of page 47 (and a small inset of page 46), covering about a fifth
of the total entry for the kanji 作:

[![Part of page 47 of Jack Halpern’s New Japanese–English Character
Dictionary](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UKlcH.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/UKlcH.jpg)

While the other kanji dictionaries in English cover more kanji and use a
(slightly) more traditional radical look-up method, they come nowhere near the
amount of semantic information Halpern covers in this dictionary. They each
have their own strengths and weaknesses, and I would like to say that this is
Halpern’s strength.

(The latest edition of this dictionary goes under the name [The Kodansha Kanji
Dictionary](http://www.kanji.org/kanji/dictionaries/KKD/kaneirev.htm). And it
seems to have been expanded by some 1,000 kanji entries, 5,000 senses and
7,000 compunds; as well as some further 1.000 synonym expositions and about
100 additional usage notes.)
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One low-budget option is the IME. Microsoft's IME (and possibly others) has
little comments next to the homonym kanji that help you to choose the correct
one: [![Windows XP
IME](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IiukV.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IiukV.png)
[![Windows 10
IME](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F5zVM.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/F5zVM.png)
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