Translation guide
Describes someone who is habitually silent, reserved, or uncommunicative. Japanese offers several nuanced terms depending on whether the silence is perceived as stoic, shy, awkward, or simply a personality trait.
He is a taciturn person.
A more literary or formal term for a person of few words, often with a nuance of quiet dignity or stoicism.
My grandfather was a taciturn person.
Literally 'a person with few words'. A straightforward, slightly descriptive phrase.
She is a person of few words.
Describing someone who doesn't talk much because they are shy, anxious, or uncomfortable in social situations.
Means a quiet, gentle, and often shy person. Not necessarily negative, but implies a lack of assertiveness.
He is a quiet person and doesn't talk much.
Specifically refers to someone who is shy around strangers or new people. 人見知り means 'shyness with strangers'.
Means a shy, introverted person. Similar to おとなしい but emphasizes bashfulness.
Describing someone who is not just quiet but actively unresponsive, perhaps cold or unfriendly.
Describing someone who is not generally taciturn but becomes silent in a particular context, such as when concentrating or upset.
Refers to someone who falls silent or clams up, often due to emotion or deep thought. Not a permanent trait.
He is the type of person who goes silent when angry.
Literally 'a person who shuts their mouth'. Implies a deliberate refusal to speak, often due to stubbornness or secrecy.
無口 (mukuchi) is the most general term for a person of few words. 寡黙 (kamoku) is more literary and often carries a positive nuance of dignified silence. おとなしい (otonashii) implies gentleness and shyness, not just silence. Choose based on the nuance you want to convey.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'taciturn'. Using a direct translation like タキターン will not be understood. Always use one of the descriptive phrases above.
My younger sister is shy around strangers and goes silent when meeting someone for the first time.
He is a shy person, so he always stays in the corner at parties.
He is a taciturn person, but he's not a bad guy.
He is a person who clams up when that topic comes up.