Translation guide
The English phrase 'cooling down' can refer to lowering temperature, calming emotions, or reducing intensity. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To become cooler in temperature, or to make something cooler.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to cool down' (naturally). Used for hot things losing heat.
The soup cooled down.
Transitive verb meaning 'to cool something down' (deliberately).
Intransitive verb meaning 'to get cold' or 'to become chilly'. Often used for weather or body parts.
Transitive verb meaning 'to cool something down' (e.g., with ice or refrigeration).
Intransitive verb meaning 'to cool oneself down', often by seeking shade or breeze. Used for people escaping heat.
To become less angry, excited, or passionate; to calm down.
To become less intense, active, or heated (e.g., economy, enthusiasm, relationship).
Intransitive verb meaning 'to cool down' in the sense of enthusiasm or passion fading.
Gentle exercise to gradually reduce heart rate after a workout.
冷める (sameru) is used for things that were hot and lose heat (e.g., food, drinks, bathwater). 冷える (hieru) is used for things becoming cold, often from an already cool state, or for body parts and weather. 冷める implies a return to room temperature, while 冷える implies becoming chilly.
To say 'I cooled down' (by going into the shade), use 涼む (suzumu), not 冷める. 冷める is for objects losing heat, not for a person's sensation of cooling off.
Please have some tea before it cools down.
熱いコーヒーを冷ましてから飲んだ。
I cooled down the hot coffee before drinking it.
夜になると冷えてきた。
It's cooling down as night falls.
My hands and feet are getting cold.
I chilled the beer (cooled it down).
I cooled down in the shade of a tree.
Means 'to calm down' or 'to settle down'. Used for emotions, situations, or people.
Please calm down a little.
He waited until his anger cooled down.
Literally 'cool one's head', meaning to calm down and think rationally after being upset.
Why don't you go cool down a bit?
Means 'to become quiet' or 'to subside'. Used for excitement or noise dying down.
The commotion cooled down.
His enthusiasm has cooled down.
Also used metaphorically for feelings or interest cooling down.
Their relationship cooled down.
Literally 'the heat cools down', meaning passion or excitement fades.
The boom has cooled down.
Loanword from English, commonly used in sports and fitness contexts.
Don't forget to cool down after exercise.
Native Japanese term for cool-down exercises, literally 'organizing exercise'.
Cool down to relieve muscle fatigue.