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.
Please shut the door.
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.
To shut firmly or seal off, often used for gates, doors, or metaphorical closure. Has a more literary or emphatic feel.
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.
To cease operations, often permanently.
Used for closing a shop for the day or permanently shutting down a business.
To tell someone to stop talking, often rudely.
To prevent someone or something from entering or being included.
To stop the flow of something like water, gas, or electricity.
General verb for stopping something. Used for shutting off water, gas, etc.
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).
May I shut the window?
本を閉じてください。
Please shut the book.
He shut his eyes.
They shut the gate firmly.
The door shuts automatically.
The window won't shut properly.
Can also be used intransitively for things like eyes or books closing, but less common for doors.
Eyes shut.
It's time to shut the store.
That restaurant shut down last month.
A more formal term for closing a store or business, often used in announcements.
We have shut for the day.
To go out of business or discontinue a business permanently.
The company shut down.
Literally means "noisy," but often used to mean "shut up" in casual speech.
Shut up!
A polite way to ask someone to be quiet, like "please be quiet." Not a direct "shut up."
Please shut up (polite).
To shut someone out, literally or figuratively. Often used for locking someone out of a place or excluding them.
I shut him out of the room.
Variant of 締め出す, also means to shut out or lock out.
I shut the dog out in the yard.
To exclude or eliminate, more formal and abstract.
He was shut out from the team.
Please shut off the gas.