Translation guide
The English verb "shut" refers to closing something, often with a sense of finality or force. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is 閉める (shimeru) for transitive actions and 閉まる (shimaru) for intransitive states. However, the choice depends on what is being shut and the nuance.
To shut an object like a door, window, lid, or book by moving it to a closed position.
The standard transitive verb for shutting or closing something. Used for doors, windows, lids, books, etc.
ドアを閉めてください。
Please shut the door.
窓を閉めてもいいですか。
May I shut the window?
Also means to shut or close, but often used for books, eyes, or abstract things like meetings. Can sound slightly more formal or literary than 閉める for physical objects.
本を閉じてください。
Please shut the book.
彼は目を閉じた。
He shut his eyes.
To shut firmly or seal off, often used for gates, doors, or metaphorical closure. Has a more literary or emphatic feel.
門を固く閉ざした。
They shut the gate firmly.
To describe something shutting by itself or being in a shut state.
The intransitive counterpart of 閉める. Used when a door, window, etc. shuts automatically or is shut.
ドアが自動で閉まります。
The door shuts automatically.
窓がきちんと閉まらない。
The window won't shut properly.
Can also be used intransitively for things like eyes or books closing, but less common for doors.
To cease operations, often permanently.
Used for closing a shop for the day or permanently shutting down a business.
店を閉める時間です。
It's time to shut the store.
あのレストランは先月閉めた。
That restaurant shut down last month.
A more formal term for closing a store or business, often used in announcements.
本日は閉店しました。
We have shut for the day.
To go out of business or discontinue a business permanently.
その会社は廃業した。
The company shut down.
To tell someone to stop talking, often rudely.
The most direct and common way to say "shut up" in Japanese. Can be rude depending on tone.
黙って！
Shut up!
Literally means "noisy," but often used to mean "shut up" in casual speech.
うるさい！
Shut up!
A polite way to ask someone to be quiet, like "please be quiet." Not a direct "shut up."
お静かにお願いします。
Please shut up (polite).
To prevent someone or something from entering or being included.
To shut someone out, literally or figuratively. Often used for locking someone out of a place or excluding them.
彼を部屋から締め出した。
I shut him out of the room.
Variant of 締め出す, also means to shut out or lock out.
To exclude or eliminate, more formal and abstract.
彼はチームから排除された。
He was shut out from the team.
To stop the flow of something like water, gas, or electricity.
General verb for stopping something. Used for shutting off water, gas, etc.
ガスを止めてください。
Please shut off the gas.
Can be used for shutting off a valve or tap, but 止める is more common.
閉める (shimeru) is the most common word for shutting physical objects like doors and windows. 閉じる (tojiru) is often used for books, eyes, or abstract closures. For doors, 閉める is preferred in daily speech.
Be careful with transitive 閉める (shimeru) and intransitive 閉まる (shimaru). Use を with 閉める (e.g., ドアを閉める) and が with 閉まる (e.g., ドアが閉まる).
Eyes shut.
犬を庭に閉め出した。
I shut the dog out in the yard.
Shut off the water tap.