both have the similar English of "answer," but when do you use one over the
other?
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2011-06-26T12:12:24.523
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2011-06-26T14:46:07.663
2011-06-26T14:46:07.663
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question
word-choice vocabulary
what's the difference between 返事 and 答え？
From goo both
[答え](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/79626/m0u/%E7%AD%94%E3%81%88/) and
[返事](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/200324/m0u/%E8%BF%94%E4%BA%8B/) can
have the meaning of "呼びかけに対して答える言葉", which is what "answer" or "response" is
used for in English.

But 答え has another meaning "問題・設問などを解いて出される結果", which what I would summarize
as equivalent to "solution", while 返事 has "返答の手紙", which is equivalent to
"reply".

I guess I could say that 答え is answer to a call/address or a question, while
返事 is answer to a call/address or a letter. Or put it another way, you can use
答え or 返事 interchangeably when referring to answering a call/address but for a
solution to a question or problem 答え should be use, and for answering a letter
返事 should be used.
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2011-06-26T12:34:13.640
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2011-06-26T12:39:36.493
2011-06-26T12:39:36.493
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answer