沈む · godan verb (-mu)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 沈む | 沈まない |
| Polite | 沈みます | 沈みません |
| Past polite | 沈みました | 沈みませんでした |
| Past | 沈んだ | 沈まなかった |
| Te-form | 沈んで | 沈まないで |
| Desire | 沈みたい | 沈みたくない |
| Potential | 沈める | 沈めない |
| Passive | 沈まれる | 沈まれない |
| Causative | 沈ませる | 沈ませない |
| Causative passive | 沈ませられるalso 沈まされる | 沈ませられないalso 沈まされない |
| Volitional | 沈もう | |
| Polite volitional | 沈みましょう | |
| Imperative | 沈め | 沈むな |
| Conditional | 沈めば | 沈まなければ |
| Tara conditional | 沈んだら | 沈まなかったら |
The ship slowly sank.
My foot sank into the mud.
godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb
Used for celestial bodies, especially the sun or moon, moving below the horizon.
The sun sets behind the western mountains.
godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb
feel depressed; become somber; be subdued
Metaphorical use for low spirits, gloomy mood, or a subdued atmosphere.
Hearing the bad news, I felt depressed.
After the meeting, the atmosphere in the room was somber.
The ship sank into the sea.
The evening sun is setting into the western sea.
My mood sank after failing the exam.
His voice sounded subdued, so I got worried.
A gloomy atmosphere hung over the classroom.
沈む means 'to sink,' the direct opposite of 浮かぶ, which means 'to float' or 'rise to the surface.'
abandon oneself to grief; weep bitterly; be overcome with tears