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締め切り (shimekiri) Japanese meaning: deadline | Kotomora
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月げつ
曜よう
日び
です
。
The deadline for the report is next Monday.
We extended the application deadline by one week.
Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 の 締し め 切き りに 間ま に 合あ う to make the deadline for something
I just barely made the deadline for the report.
締し め 切き りを 守まも る to meet/observe a deadline
Meeting deadlines is a basic part of the job.
締し め 切き りを 過す ぎる to pass/miss a deadline
The application deadline has already passed.
締し め 切き りに 遅おく れる to be late for a deadline
I was late for the manuscript deadline and apologized to the editor.
締し め 切き りを 延えん 長ちょう する to extend a deadline
Related words 期限 is a general time limit or expiration point, while 締め切り specifically stresses the final cut-off for accepting or submitting something.
期日 is a formal, often official due date (e.g. on documents), whereas 締め切り is the everyday word for a deadline for submissions or applications.
納期 refers specifically to a delivery or completion due date for goods or work, while 締め切り is broader and covers applications, manuscripts, and forms too.
デッドライン is the casual, business/creative-industry loanword for a deadline, while 締め切り is the standard native Japanese term used in all contexts.
Don't confuse with 締め切る is the verb meaning to close off or bring something to a deadline, while 締め切り is the noun form referring to the deadline or closing itself.
締め切り means a 'deadline' or 'closing (of applications)', while 締め付け means 'tightening/pressure'; the two share the root 締め but differ completely in meaning.
締め切り is the deadline itself (a point in time), while 時間切れ is the resulting state of being too late because that time has passed.
Written forms 締し め 切き り Usage 40%
Standard common spelling, especially for a deadline or cut-off date.
締しめ 切きり Usage 49%
Compact common spelling often seen on forms, notices, schedules, and in technical compounds.
締しめ 切き り Usage 7%
Acceptable okurigana variant, less central than 締め切り or 締切.
〆切しめきり Usage 3%
Etymology Noun form of 締め切る, from 締める meaning to tighten or close and 切る used with the sense of cutting off or completing an action. The deadline meaning developed from the idea of closing acceptance at a fixed point; 〆 is a shorthand spelling associated with 締.
Since there weren't many participants, they decided to extend the deadline.
search-only kanji form
Attested shorthand spelling for the deadline sense; useful for recognition and search, but not the main learner spelling.
〆切しめき り Usage <1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only shorthand variant of 〆切り for the deadline sense.
閉し め 切き り Usage <1%
search-only kanji form
Attested spelling for physically closing something such as doors or windows; it is search-only.