Translation guide
How to express that something is decided, settled, or fixed in Japanese, depending on whether the decision is made by people, by rules, or by fate.
To say that a plan, date, or course of action has been decided, often after discussion or consideration.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be decided' or 'to be settled'. Used when the decision is the result of a process or discussion, without specifying who decided.
The meeting date has been decided.
The policy hasn't been decided yet.
More formal than 決まる. Often used in official or business contexts. Can be transitive or intransitive, but here used intransitively as 'to be decided'.
The new rules have been decided.
Literally 'become a decision', used when a tentative plan becomes official.
The trip has been decided for next month.
To express that something is predetermined, inevitable, or set by external circumstances.
Often used to mean 'it is fixed' or 'it is a rule'. Can imply that something is obvious or goes without saying.
The rules are fixed, so we can't change them.
What needs to be done is decided.
More literary or formal. Implies something is established or settled, often by natural order or long-standing custom.
Means 'to be finalized' or 'confirmed'. Used for schedules, results, or numbers that become definite.
The schedule has been finalized.
To say that the result of a match or competition has been determined.
To express that something is still up in the air or not settled.
決める (kimeru) is transitive: 'to decide something'. 決まる (kimaru) is intransitive: 'to be decided'. Use 決まる when the focus is on the decision itself, not the decider.
I will decide the date and time.
The date and time will be decided.
English 'be decided' is often translated with the intransitive 決まる, not the passive 決められる. The passive can sound unnatural or imply someone was forced to decide.
方針が定まった。
The policy has been settled.