Japanese

Alternative forms

• 閑か

Adjective

静か ‎(-na inflection, hiragana しずか, romaji shizuka, historical hiragana しづか)

1. inaudible, quiet, silent

   静 (しず)かな近所 (きんじょ)が好 (この)ましいです。

   Shizuka na kinjo ga konomashii desu.

   I prefer quiet neighbourhoods.

   静 (しず)かです。

   Shizuka desu.

   It's quiet.

   ここでは静 (しず)かな歩行 (ほこう)を望 (のぞ)みます。

   Koko de wa shizuka na hokō o nozomimasu.

   We prefer an inaudible walk [tread] here.

2. calm, tranquil
3. still, stopped and not moving
4. not busy

Inflection

Usage notes

For degree, corresponding to the English quietness, both 静かさ ‎(shizukasa) and 静けさ ‎(shizukesa) can be used, but 静けさ ‎(shizukesa) may be more common. Note that shizukesa derives from the related archaic adjective 靜けし ‎(shizukeshi, “quiet, calm”).

Synonyms

• (calm): 穏やか (おだやか, ​odayaka)

Antonyms

• (quiet, calm): 騒がしい (さわがしい, ​sawagashii), 喧しい (やかましい, ​yakamashii)

Related terms

• 静心 (しずごころ, ​shizugokoro): a calm and quiet mind
• 静静 (しずしず, ​shizushizu): quietly, softly, calmly
• 沈む (しずむ, ​shizumu): to sink; to set (such as the sun or moon); to become depressed
• 静まる (しずまる, ​shizumaru): to become still or quiet
• 静める (しずめる, ​shizumeru): to make still or quiet; to appease; to soothe, to relieve; to quell, to put down
• 鎮宮 (しずみや, ​shizumiya): a shrine where a 神 ‎(kami) is honored and offerings are made

References

1. ↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1 2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
3. ↑ 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13143-0