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A2 verb #5,500 الأكثر شيوعاً 8 دقيقة للقراءة

沈む

shizumu الأكثر شيوعاً #5,500

تدرّب عليها أمثلة ملاحظات ونصائح 沈む في 30 ثانية

الشرح 沈む in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should learn 'shizumu' primarily in the context of the sun. It is a very useful word for describing the time of day. You might learn it in the phrase 'Taiyou ga shizumu' (The sun sets). At this stage, focus on the physical action of something going down and out of sight. You can think of it as the opposite of 'noboru' (to rise). It is usually used with the particle 'ga' for the subject. Don't worry about the complex emotional meanings yet; just remember that things like stones or the sun 'shizumu'. It's an intransitive verb, so you don't need to worry about 'who' is doing it, just that it is happening. For example, 'Umi ni taiyou ga shizumu' (The sun sinks into the sea) is a classic A1 sentence that uses basic particles and vocabulary. It's a 'Group 1' or 'U-verb', so the polite form is 'shizumimasu'.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the A2 level, you expand your use of 'shizumu' to include everyday physical objects and basic emotional states. You should be able to describe a boat sinking (fune ga shizumu) or your feet sinking into soft sand at the beach. You will also start to see it used for moods, such as 'kibun ga shizumu' (to feel down). This is a common way to express that you aren't feeling very happy or energetic. You should also understand the difference between 'shizumu' and 'ochiru' (to fall). Remember that 'shizumu' implies going into something, like water or a soft cushion. At A2, you should be comfortable using the 'te-form' (shizunde) to connect sentences, like 'Taiyou ga shizunde, kuraku narimashita' (The sun set and it became dark). You should also recognize the past tense 'shizunda' being used as an adjective, like 'shizunda fune' (a sunken ship).

At the B1 level, you should master the distinction between 'shizumu' (intransitive) and 'shizumeru' (transitive). This is a key grammar point for intermediate learners. You should be able to say 'He sank the stone' (Kare wa ishi o shizumeta) versus 'The stone sank' (Ishi ga shizunda). You will also encounter 'shizumu' in more metaphorical contexts, such as being 'submerged' in work or thought (kangae ni shizumu). Your understanding of emotional 'sinking' should become more nuanced; it's not just 'sad', it's a heavy, quiet kind of gloom. You'll start to see it in news reports about ships (though 'chinbotsu' is also used). You should also be able to use it in conditional forms, like 'Ame ga furu to, kibun ga shizumimasu' (When it rains, my mood sinks). Understanding the kanji '沈' becomes important here, recognizing its 'water' radical.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the B2 level, you use 'shizumu' with greater stylistic variety. You will find it in literature and formal writing. You might see it used to describe a town being 'submerged' under water due to a dam (mura ga damu no soko ni shizunda). You should also be aware of its use in describing facial expressions—'shizunda kao' means a gloomy or somber face. You'll encounter the word in more complex grammar structures, such as 'shizumi-gachi' (tending to sink/be gloomy). You should also understand its role in idioms and set phrases, like 'ukishizumi' (ups and downs of life, literally 'floating and sinking'). Your ability to distinguish 'shizumu' from synonyms like 'ochikomu' (to be depressed) or 'unadareru' (to hang one's head) should be sharp. You can use it to describe the subtle physical sensation of sinking into a deep sofa or a plush mattress with more descriptive adverbs.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the C1 level, you are expected to understand the poetic and philosophical nuances of 'shizumu'. It appears in classical and modern literature to evoke themes of decline, death, or deep introspection. You might read about an empire 'sinking' into history or a soul 'sinking' into despair. You should be familiar with more technical or rare compounds like 'chinrin' (sinking into obscurity/ruin). At this level, you can use 'shizumu' to describe the physical properties of materials—how a foundation 'sinks' into the soil over decades. You will also encounter it in historical contexts, such as the 'Sinking of the Japan' (Nihon Chinbotsu), a famous novel and film. Your usage should be precise, choosing 'shizumu' over other verbs to intentionally evoke a sense of weight, silence, or inevitability. You should also be able to interpret it in the context of light and shadow, where objects 'sink' into the darkness (yami ni shizumu).

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

At the C2 level, 'shizumu' is a tool for high-level rhetorical expression. You understand its deepest metaphorical roots in the Japanese psyche—the beauty of the transient (mono no aware) often associated with the setting sun. You can use it in academic or philosophical discussions about the 'sinking' of cultural values or the 'submergence' of individual identity within a group. You are comfortable with archaic or highly literary forms of the verb and its derivatives. You can analyze how authors like Soseki or Mishima used the imagery of 'shizumu' to convey psychological depth. Your mastery allows you to use the word in puns or sophisticated wordplay involving its various meanings (physical, emotional, celestial). You recognize it in rare four-kanji idioms (yojijukugo) and can explain its etymological development from Old Japanese. At this stage, the word is not just a verb, but a symbol of downward motion and the hidden depths of reality.

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

تدرّب عليها أمثلة ملاحظات ونصائح

沈む في 30 ثانية

Shizumu primarily means to sink into water or for the sun/moon to set below the horizon, representing a downward motion.
It is an intransitive verb, meaning it describes what the subject does (The ship sinks) rather than an action done to an object.
Metaphorically, it describes a gloomy mood (spirits sinking) or being deeply lost in thought or a specific atmosphere.
Commonly paired with the particle 'ga' for the subject and 'ni' for the destination, it is essential for N5-N4 level Japanese.

The Japanese verb 沈む (しずむ - shizumu) is a versatile and essential term that primarily describes a downward movement beneath a surface, most commonly water or the horizon. At its most literal level, it is used when an object loses buoyancy and disappears into a liquid. However, its usage extends far beyond the physical realm of maritime accidents or stones being tossed into ponds. In Japanese culture and language, the concept of 'sinking' is deeply tied to the daily cycle of the sun and the internal landscape of human emotion. When you see the sun dipping below the horizon at dusk, you use shizumu. When a person feels a heavy weight of sadness or depression, their heart or mood is said to 'sink' using this same verb. It is an intransitive verb (自動詞 - jidoushi), meaning the action happens to the subject without an external actor directly forcing it in the sentence structure, though the cause might be implied.

Physical Sinking: This refers to objects like ships, stones, or anchors going underwater. Example: 船が海に沈む (The ship sinks into the sea).

夕日が水平線に沈む様子はとても美しいです。(The way the evening sun sinks into the horizon is very beautiful.)

Celestial Movement: Specifically used for the sun (太陽) or the moon (月) setting. It conveys a sense of natural, inevitable progression. Example: 太陽が沈む (The sun sets).

Emotional State: Used metaphorically to describe a gloomy or depressed mood. Example: 気持ちが沈む (One's spirits sink/feel down).

Furthermore, shizumu can describe physical surfaces giving way, such as a soft sofa or a muddy path where your feet sink in. It captures the essence of being overwhelmed or swallowed by a medium, whether that medium is physical water, the dark of night, or a heavy psychological burden. Understanding shizumu requires a grasp of its 'downward' energy. It is never used for active diving (which would be m潛る - muguru); rather, it is the result of gravity, density, or the passage of time. In literature, it often evokes a sense of melancholy, finality, or quiet beauty, making it a favorite for poets and songwriters describing the end of an era or the depth of a lost love.

Using 沈む (shizumu) correctly involves understanding its grammatical role as an intransitive verb. Unlike its transitive counterpart shizumeru (to sink something), shizumu focuses on the subject that is performing the action of sinking. The most common particle used with this verb is が (ga) to indicate the subject, and に (ni) to indicate the destination or the medium into which the subject is sinking. For example, if a boat is sinking into the ocean, you say 'Fune ga umi ni shizumu'. If you are talking about the sun setting, you say 'Taiyou ga shizumu'.

重い石を池に投げると、すぐに底へ沈んでいきました。(When I threw a heavy stone into the pond, it immediately sank to the bottom.)

When using shizumu for abstract concepts like mood, the structure remains the same. 'Kimochi ga shizumu' (The feelings sink) or 'Kibun ga shizumu' (The mood sinks). You can also use it to describe people sitting deeply into soft furniture. For instance, 'Sofaa ni mi o shizumeru' (to sink one's body into a sofa) uses the transitive version, but 'Karada ga shizumu' describes the natural sensation of the sofa giving way. In the context of the sun, it is often paired with 'nishi' (west), as in 'Nishi no sora ni taiyou ga shizumu' (The sun sinks in the western sky).

Past Tense Usage: Often used as 'shizunda' to describe a completed state. 'Shizunda fune' (A sunken ship) or 'Shizunda hyoujou' (A gloomy facial expression).

In more advanced contexts, shizumu describes a town being submerged by a dam project (Damu no soko ni shizumu machi) or a person being lost in thought (Kangae ni shizumu). The versatility of the word lies in its ability to bridge the gap between the physical world and the internal psychological world. In every case, the common thread is the movement from a higher, visible, or lighter state to a lower, hidden, or heavier state.

You will encounter 沈む (shizumu) in a wide variety of daily and specialized contexts in Japan. One of the most common places is the daily weather report or news broadcast. When meteorologists discuss sunset times, they use the term hinode (sunrise) and hinoniri (sunset), but in descriptive speech, they will say 'Taiyou ga shizumu jikan' (The time the sun sinks). In news reports about maritime accidents, you will frequently hear 'Fune ga chinbotsu shita' (The ship sank/foundered), where chinbotsu is the formal kanji compound, but in eyewitness accounts or general descriptions, shizumu is the preferred verb.

「最近、彼女は元気がなくて、ずっと気持ちが沈んでいるみたいだね。」(Lately, she hasn't been energetic; it seems like her spirits have been down for a while.)

In the world of Japanese literature and pop culture (Anime/Manga), shizumu is a staple for creating atmosphere. A character might stare at the 'shizumu yuuhi' (setting sun) while reflecting on a lost friend, or a villain might 'shizumu' into the shadows. It is also used in sports commentary, particularly in golf or soccer, when a ball 'sinks' into the hole or the back of the net, though hairu is more common for the latter. In a medical or psychological context, a doctor might ask a patient if they feel 'kibun ga shizumu' to gauge symptoms of depression.

Literary Context: Often used to describe the 'sinking' of a city into the sea in disaster fiction, or the 'sinking' of a heart in romance novels.

Finally, in casual conversation, if you sit on a very soft bed and it dips significantly, you might exclaim 'Sugoku shizumu!' (It sinks a lot!). This everyday usage highlights how the word is integrated into the physical sensory experience of Japanese speakers. Whether it's the beauty of a sunset, the tragedy of a shipwreck, or the weight of a bad day, shizumu is the go-to word for anything moving downward into a deeper state.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make with 沈む (shizumu) is confusing it with its transitive counterpart, 沈める (shizumeru). In English, the word 'sink' can be both intransitive ('The ship sank') and transitive ('I sank the ship'). However, in Japanese, these are two distinct verbs. If you say 'Fune o shizumu', it is grammatically incorrect because shizumu cannot take a direct object. You must say 'Fune ga shizumu' (The ship sinks) or 'Fune o shizumeru' (I sink the ship). This distinction is vital for N4 and N3 level learners.

❌ 彼は船を沈んだ。
✅ 彼は船を沈めた。(He sank the ship.)

Another common error is using shizumu for things that simply 'fall' (落ちる - ochiru) or 'go down' (下がる - sagaru). For example, if prices go down, you should use sagaru, not shizumu. Shizumu implies going into or below a surface. If you drop your phone on the floor, it 'ochiru'. If you drop it in a lake and it goes to the bottom, it 'shizumu'. Using shizumu for a simple fall on dry land sounds very strange to native ears unless the ground is soft like mud or quicksand.

Confusion with 'Setting': Learners sometimes try to use 'setto suru' for the sun setting because of the English word 'set'. This is incorrect. Always use 'shizumu' for celestial bodies.

Lastly, be careful with the kanji. While 'shizumu' is written as 沈む, learners sometimes confuse it with 浮く (uku - to float), which is its direct opposite. Remembering the 'water' radical (氵) on the left of 沈 can help you associate it with liquid and sinking. Also, ensure you don't confuse it with shizuka (quiet), which sounds similar but uses the kanji 静.

While 沈む (shizumu) is the most common way to say 'sink', several other words have overlapping meanings depending on the context. Understanding these nuances will help you sound more natural and precise in your Japanese. The most direct alternative in formal or written contexts is 沈没する (chinbotsu suru). This is specifically used for ships or large vessels sinking in a catastrophic manner. You'll see this in history books or news headlines about the Titanic.

沈む vs. 落ちる (Ochiru): 'Shizumu' is for sinking into a medium (water, mud, horizon). 'Ochiru' is for falling from a height to a surface. If a plane falls from the sky into the ocean, it first 'ochiru' (falls), then 'shizumu' (sinks).

太陽が沈む (The sun sets) vs. 太陽が隠れる (The sun hides behind clouds).

沈む vs. 下がる (Sagaru): 'Sagaru' is used for levels, prices, or temperatures going down. 'Shizumu' is not used for numerical values. However, if a person's head 'sinks' in shame, you use 'shizumu' or 'unadareru'.

For emotional states, instead of 'kimochi ga shizumu', you might use 落ち込む (ochikomu). 'Ochikomu' is very common in daily conversation to mean 'to get depressed' or 'to feel down'. While 'shizumu' sounds a bit more literary or describes a prolonged state of gloom, 'ochikomu' is used for the immediate reaction to bad news. Another related word is 潜る (muguru), which means to dive or go under. The difference is intention: a diver 'muguru', but a lead weight 'shizumu'.

In summary, choose shizumu for sunsets, sinking into water/mud, and heavy, gloomy moods. Use chinbotsu for shipwrecks, ochikomu for feeling blue, and sagaru for falling numbers. Mastering these distinctions will significantly improve your expressive range.

How Formal Is It?

حقيقة ممتعة

The kanji for 'shizumu' is the same one used in 'shampoo' in some transliterations (though rare now), but its most common compound is 'Chinbotsu' (sinking), famous from the novel 'Japan Sinks'.

دليل النطق

UK ɕizɯᵝmɯᵝ

US ɕizɯmɯ

The pitch accent is 'Heiban' (Type 0) in many dialects, or 'Atamadaka' depending on the specific usage, but usually follows a flat or rising pattern.

يتقافى مع

Izumu (to gush out - rare) Hizumu (to be distorted) Kizumu (not a word, but sounds like kizamu) Nezumu (not a word) Mizumu (not a word) Suzumu (to cool off) Tazumu (not a word) Azumu (not a word)

أخطاء شائعة

Pronouncing 'zu' like 'ju'.
Over-emphasizing the final 'u' sound.
Confusing the pitch with 'shizuka' (quiet).
Mixing up the 's' and 'sh' sounds.
Failing to double the consonant in 'shizumimasu' (it's not doubled, but learners sometimes try to).

مستوى الصعوبة

القراءة 2/5

The kanji is N3 level, but the word is common in A2 reading materials.

الكتابة 3/5

Writing the kanji '沈' requires attention to the right-hand side structure.

التحدث 2/5

Easy to pronounce, but requires remembering it's intransitive.

الاستماع 1/5

Very distinct sound, rarely confused with other common words.

ماذا تتعلّم بعد ذلك

المتطلبات الأساسية

水 (Mizu - Water) 太陽 (Taiyou - Sun) 海 (Umi - Sea) 落ちる (Ochiru - To fall) 行く (Iku - To go)

تعلّم لاحقاً

沈める (Shizumeru - To sink [transitive]) 浮く (Uku - To float) 昇る (Noboru - To rise) 沈没 (Chinbotsu - Foundering) 落ち込む (Ochikomu - To be depressed)

متقدم

沈殿 (Chinden) 沈黙 (Chinmoku) 地盤沈下 (Jiban chinka) 沈着 (Chinchaku) 悠久 (Yuukyuu)

قواعد يجب معرفتها

Intransitive vs Transitive Verbs

船が沈む (Intransitive) vs 船を沈める (Transitive)

Verb + -te iku (Progressive away)

船が沈んでいく (The ship is sinking away/down).

Verb + -te shimau (Regret/Completion)

鍵が海に沈んでしまった (The keys unfortunately sank in the sea).

Verb as Noun Modifier

沈む夕日 (The setting sun)

Masu-stem + -gachi (Tending to)

冬は気分が沈みがちだ (In winter, one tends to feel down).

سجّل مجاناً لقراءة الشرح الكامل

أمثلة حسب المستوى

たいようがしずみます。

The sun sets.

Basic subject-verb structure using the polite -masu form.

うみにいしがしずみました。

A stone sank into the sea.

Past tense of an intransitive verb.

ふねがしずむ。

The boat sinks.

Dictionary form used in a simple declarative sentence.

にしにたいようがしずむ。

The sun sets in the west.

Using 'ni' to indicate the direction/location of the action.

５じにたいようがしずみます。

The sun sets at 5 o'clock.

Using 'ni' to indicate the specific time of the event.

ぼくのボールがしずんだ。

My ball sank.

Possessive 'boku no' followed by the subject 'ga'.

あ、しずむ！

Ah, it's sinking!

Exclamatory use of the dictionary form for immediate action.

しずむたいようはあかいです。

The setting sun is red.

Using the verb 'shizumu' as a relative clause to modify 'taiyou'.

重いかばんが水に沈みました。

The heavy bag sank into the water.

Adjective 'omoi' modifying the subject 'kaban'.

今日は気分が沈んでいます。

I'm feeling down today.

Using 'te-iru' to describe a continuous emotional state.

船がゆっくり海に沈んでいきました。

The ship slowly sank into the sea.

Using '-te iku' to show the progression of the sinking away from the observer.

このソファは座ると沈みますね。

This sofa sinks when you sit on it, doesn't it?

Conditional 'to' used to describe a natural consequence.

太陽が沈んでから、外に出ました。

After the sun set, I went outside.

Using '-te kara' to indicate a sequence of actions.

沈んだ顔をしないでください。

Please don't make a gloomy face.

Negative request using 'naide kudasai' with a modified noun.

泥の中に足が沈んでしまった。

My foot sank into the mud (unfortunately).

Using '-te shimau' to express regret or an accidental completion.

あの島はいつか海に沈むと言われています。

It is said that that island will one day sink into the sea.

Passive reporting structure 'to iwarete imasu'.

彼は深い考えに沈んでいるようだった。

He seemed to be lost (sunk) in deep thought.

Metaphorical use with 'kangae' (thought) and 'you da' (seems).

ダムの建設で、村全体が水の底に沈んだ。

Due to the dam construction, the entire village sank to the bottom of the water.

Using 'de' to indicate the cause/reason for the sinking.

失敗して、彼の気持ちはどん底まで沈んだ。

Having failed, his spirits sank to the very bottom.

Intensifier 'donzoko' (rock bottom) used with 'shizumu'.

沈む夕日を眺めながら、故郷を思い出した。

While gazing at the setting sun, I remembered my hometown.

Using '-nagara' to show simultaneous actions.

アンカーが海底に沈む音が聞こえた。

I heard the sound of the anchor sinking to the seabed.

Noun phrase 'shizumu oto' (the sound of sinking).

月が山の端に沈もうとしている。

The moon is about to set behind the edge of the mountain.

Volitional form + 'to shite iru' to mean 'about to'.

そのニュースを聞いて、心が沈んだ。

Hearing that news, my heart sank.

Using the '-te' form to show cause and effect (hearing -> sinking).

重力でマットレスが沈むのを防ぐ必要がある。

It is necessary to prevent the mattress from sinking due to gravity.

Nominalizing the verb with 'no' to make it the object of 'fusegu'.

彼女は悲しみに沈み、一言も発さなかった。

She was submerged in grief and didn't utter a single word.

Literary use of 'shizumi' (masu-stem as a conjunction) for formal tone.

その古い都市は、何世紀も前に海に沈んだとされている。

That ancient city is believed to have sunk into the sea centuries ago.

Formal structure 'to sarete iru' (is considered/believed to be).

景気が悪化し、街全体が沈んだ雰囲気になった。

The economy worsened, and the whole town took on a sunken (gloomy) atmosphere.

Using 'shizunda' to describe the 'fun-iki' (atmosphere) of a place.

彼は椅子に深く沈み込んで、本を読み始めた。

He sank deeply into the chair and started reading a book.

Compound verb 'shizumi-komu' emphasizing the depth or completeness.

泥沼に沈むように、彼は借金地獄に陥った。

Like sinking into a quagmire, he fell into a hell of debt.

Simile using 'youni' with the imagery of sinking.

太陽が水平線の下に沈みきった。

The sun has completely sunk below the horizon.

Auxiliary verb '-kiru' meaning to do something completely.

沈みゆく船から乗客を救助するのは困難だった。

Rescuing passengers from the sinking ship was difficult.

Literary auxiliary '-yuku' showing a continuous, inevitable process.

沈んだ声で、彼は真実を話し始めた。

In a low, somber voice, he began to tell the truth.

Using 'shizunda' to describe the tone of a voice.

夕闇に沈む街並みを、塔の上から眺めた。

From atop the tower, I gazed at the cityscape sinking into the evening twilight.

Poetic use of 'yuyami ni shizumu' to describe the onset of night.

彼は自責の念に沈み、世間との関わりを絶った。

Submerged in a sense of self-reproach, he cut off all contact with the world.

Abstract noun 'jiseki no nen' (self-reproach) as the medium of sinking.

その文明は内乱によって、歴史の闇に沈んでいった。

Due to internal strife, that civilization sank into the darkness of history.

Historical metaphor 'rekishi no yami' (darkness of history).

静寂に沈む森の中で、鳥の声だけが響いていた。

In the forest submerged in silence, only the voices of birds resonated.

Metaphorical use where 'silence' is treated as a liquid medium.

彼の表情は、絶望の色に沈んでいた。

His expression was steeped (sunk) in the color of despair.

Complex metaphor 'despair's color' combined with 'shizumu'.

巨大な負債を抱え、会社は沈没寸前の状態に沈んでいた。

Carrying huge debts, the company was sinking into a state on the verge of foundering.

Combining the verb with 'sunzen' (on the verge of) and 'joutai' (state).

客船が氷山に衝突し、冷たい北海に沈んでから数十年が経った。

Decades have passed since the passenger ship hit an iceberg and sank into the cold North Sea.

Temporal clause using '-te kara' in a complex historical sentence.

思考の深淵に沈み、彼は時間の経過さえ忘れていた。

Sinking into the abyss of thought, he had forgotten even the passage of time.

High-level vocabulary 'shin-en' (abyss) used metaphorically.

没落した貴族の家系は、時代の波に沈んでいく他なかった。

The fallen aristocratic lineage had no choice but to sink into the waves of the era.

Fatalistic expression 'hoka nakatta' (had no choice but to).

万象が虚無に沈むその瞬間、彼は悟りを開いた。

At the moment all things sank into nothingness, he attained enlightenment.

Philosophical term 'banshou' (all things/creation) and 'kyomu' (nothingness).

言葉は沈黙の底に沈み、ただ二人の視線だけが交わされた。

Words sank to the bottom of silence, and only their gazes were exchanged.

Highly poetic personification of 'words' and 'silence'.

夕日は燃えるような朱色を放ち、やがて漆黒の海へと沈んでいった。

The evening sun emitted a burning vermilion, and eventually sank into the jet-black sea.

Use of evocative color adjectives like 'shuiro' and 'shikkoku'.

政治的混乱の中で、真実はプロパガンダの海に沈んでしまった。

Amidst political turmoil, the truth became submerged in a sea of propaganda.

Sociopolitical metaphor using 'sea of propaganda' as the medium.

意識が混濁し、彼は深い眠りの淵へと沈んでいった。

His consciousness became clouded, and he sank into the brink of a deep sleep.

Medical/literary term 'kondaku' (clouding of consciousness).

その詩は、失われた愛への哀歌として、人々の心の奥底に沈んでいる。

That poem, as an elegy for lost love, lies submerged in the deepest recesses of people's hearts.

Metaphorical permanence using 'kokoro no okusoko' (deepest part of the heart).

夕映えに沈む古都のシルエットは、悠久の時を感じさせる。

The silhouette of the ancient capital sinking into the sunset glow makes one feel the eternity of time.

Causative form 'kanjisaseru' (makes one feel) with literary imagery.

تلازمات شائعة

太陽が沈む

船が沈む

気持ちが沈む

ソファに沈む

考えに沈む

泥に沈む

地盤が沈む

夕日に沈む

どん底に沈む

沈んだ声

العبارات الشائعة

沈む瀬あれば浮かぶ瀬あり

— Life has its ups and downs. If there is a current that sinks you, there will be one that floats you.

今は辛いけど、沈む瀬あれば浮かぶ瀬ありだよ。

日が沈む

— The sun sets. Used to describe the end of the day.

日が沈むのが早くなった。

暗闇に沈む

— To be swallowed by darkness. Used literally or figuratively.

村は深い暗闇に沈んでいた。

沈んだ表情

— A gloomy or somber facial expression.

彼女は沈んだ表情で座っていた。

海の底に沈む

— To sink to the bottom of the sea. Often used for treasures or ships.

財宝は海の底に沈んでいる。

沈むように眠る

— To fall into a very deep, heavy sleep.

昨夜は沈むように眠った。

沈みゆく太陽

— The setting sun. A poetic way to describe dusk.

沈みゆく太陽をずっと見ていた。

泥沼に沈む

— To sink into a bog or a complicated, bad situation.

不倫の泥沼に沈んでいく。

沈んだトーン

— A low, subdued tone of voice or color.

部屋は沈んだトーンで統一されている。

沈む夕日

— The setting sun (common noun phrase).

沈む夕日が目に染みる。

يُخلط عادةً مع

沈む vs 沈める (Shizumeru)

This is the transitive version. Use this if you are the one sinking something (e.g., sinking a ship).

沈む vs 落ちる (Ochiru)

This means to fall. Use this for things falling to the ground, not into a medium like water.

沈む vs 下がる (Sagaru)

This means to go down. Use this for prices, temperatures, or physical levels, but not for the sun or sinking into water.

تعبيرات اصطلاحية

"浮き沈みが激しい"

— To have many ups and downs, especially in fortune or mood.

彼の人生は浮き沈みが激しい。

General

"沈黙は金"

— Silence is golden. (While not using shizumu directly, the concept of 'shizuka' and 'shizumu' are culturally linked).

余計なことは言わない、沈黙は金だ。

Proverb

"沈殿する"

— To settle or precipitate (chemistry), but used metaphorically for feelings settling.

心の底に悲しみが沈殿している。

Academic/Literary

"奈落の底に沈む"

— To sink into the depths of hell or utter despair.

絶望して奈落の底に沈む気分だ。

Dramatic

"沈思黙考"

— Being lost in deep thought and silent reflection.

彼は沈思黙考の末、答えを出した。

Formal (Yojijukugo)

"沈勇"

— Calm courage; being brave without showing excitement.

彼の沈勇さには皆が驚いた。

Literary

"沈着冷静"

— Calm and collected; composed.

どんな時も沈着冷静な判断が必要だ。

Formal (Yojijukugo)

"泥舟に沈む"

— To go down with a mud boat (a doomed enterprise).

あんな会社と一緒に沈むのは嫌だ。

Metaphorical

"沈む瀬に浮かぶ瀬"

— Variation of the 'ups and downs' proverb.

沈む瀬に浮かぶ瀬、人生いろいろだ。

Proverb

"影も形も沈む"

— To disappear completely (sinking so deep even the shadow is gone).

事件の真相は闇に沈んでしまった。

Literary

سهل الخلط

沈む vs 潜る (Muguru)

Both involve going under water.

Muguru is intentional (diving), while shizumu is usually unintentional or a natural process (sinking).

海に潜って魚を見る (Dive to see fish) vs 船が海に沈む (Ship sinks).

沈む vs 暮れる (Kureru)

Both are used for the end of the day.

Kureru refers to the day getting dark or ending, while shizumu refers specifically to the sun going down.

日が暮れる (The day ends) vs 太陽が沈む (The sun sets).

沈む vs 凹む (Hekomu)

Both can mean feeling down.

Hekomu is slangier and means to feel dented/disappointed by a specific event. Shizumu is a deeper, quieter gloom.

怒られて凹む (Dented because I was scolded).

沈む vs 埋まる (Umaru)

Both involve being covered or going under.

Umaru means to be buried or filled in. Shizumu is specifically about the downward motion into a medium.

雪に埋まる (Buried in snow).

沈む vs 浸かる (Tsu-karu)

Both involve water.

Tsu-karu means to be soaked or steeped (like in a bath). Shizumu means to go all the way under/sink.

お湯に浸かる (Soak in hot water).

أنماط الجُمل

[Subject] が沈む。

たいようが沈む。

[Subject] が [Place] に沈む。

石が池に沈む。

気分が沈んでいる。

今日は気分が沈んでいる。

[Subject] が沈んでいく。

船がゆっくり沈んでいく。

[Noun] に沈む [Noun]

考えに沈む人。

沈んだ [Noun]

沈んだ声で話す。

[Subject] が沈みかける。

太陽が沈みかけている。

[Abstract Noun] に沈む。

絶望の淵に沈む。

عائلة الكلمة

الأسماء

沈殿 (Chinden - precipitation/sediment)

沈没 (Chinbotsu - sinking/foundering)

沈黙 (Chinmoku - silence)

沈着 (Chinchaku - composure)

浮き沈み (Ukishizumi - ups and downs)

الأفعال

沈める (Shizumeru - to sink [transitive])

沈み込む (Shizumikomu - to sink deep into)

沈まり返る (Shizumarikaeru - to become dead silent)

الصفات

沈んだ (Shizunda - gloomy/sunken)

沈着な (Chinchaku na - calm/composed)

مرتبط

太陽 (Sun)

海 (Sea)

船 (Ship)

気分 (Mood)

底 (Bottom)

سجّل مجاناً لرؤية جميع الأمثلة

كيفية الاستخدام

frequency

Very common in both spoken and written Japanese.

أخطاء شائعة

Using 'o' particle with shizumu. → Using 'ga' particle.
Shizumu is intransitive. You cannot 'shizumu' something; something 'shizumu' by itself.
Using 'shizumu' for falling on the ground. → Using 'ochiru' or 'korobu'.
Shizumu requires a medium like water or the horizon to go 'into'.
Using 'setto suru' for the sun. → Using 'shizumu'.
The English 'set' doesn't translate to 'setto' in a celestial context.
Confusing 'shizumu' with 'shizuka'. → Distinguishing the two.
Shizumu is a verb (to sink); Shizuka is an adjective (quiet). They are related in feeling but grammatically different.
Using 'shizumu' for numerical decreases. → Using 'sagaru'.
Prices or grades 'sagaru' (go down), they don't 'shizumu' (sink).

نصائح

Check your particles

Always use 'ga' for the thing that is sinking. If you use 'o', you've probably used the wrong verb form.

Sun vs. Ships

Remember that 'shizumu' covers both 'to set' (celestial) and 'to sink' (physical). This is a great 2-for-1 word!

Emotional Depth

Use 'shizumu' for a heavy, quiet sadness. It's more poetic than just saying 'kanashii' (sad).

Water Radical

Whenever you see the three dots on the left (氵), think of water. This helps you remember 'shizumu' involves water.

Te-iru for State

To say you ARE feeling down right now, use 'shizunde iru'. The simple 'shizumu' usually refers to the future or a habit.

Context Clues

If you hear 'taiyou' or 'fune', the next word is very likely to be 'shizumu' if the context is the end of the day or an accident.

She's Zooming Down

Use the 'Shi-zumu' sound-alike to visualize a ship zooming down to the bottom.

Nostalgia

In Japan, sunsets are often nostalgic. Using 'shizumu' in a sentence about home can sound very native.

Compound Verbs

Try 'shizumi-komu' to describe sinking deeply into a chair or into a deep depression.

Literary Forms

In very formal writing, you might see 'shizumi-yuku' to describe something that is in the process of sinking away.

احفظها

وسيلة تذكّر

Think of 'She's (Shi) Zooming (Zumu) down' to the bottom of the ocean. Shizumu = She's Zooming down.

ربط بصري

Imagine a large red sun slowly 'zooming' down behind a blue sea line. Or a heavy 'Z' shape sinking into a pool of water.

Word Web

Water Sun Bottom Sadness Ship Horizon Deep Gravity

تحدٍّ

Try to use 'shizumu' in three different ways today: once for the sun, once for an object, and once for your mood.

أصل الكلمة

Derived from the Old Japanese verb 'shizumu'. The kanji '沈' consists of the water radical (氵) and '冘' (hesitate/sink). It has been used since the earliest Japanese texts to describe both physical and metaphorical sinking.

المعنى الأصلي: To go beneath the surface of water.

Japonic

السياق الثقافي

When using 'shizumu' for someone's mood, it implies a certain depth of sadness. Be careful not to use it too lightly for minor inconveniences; 'ochikomu' is safer for general 'feeling down'.

English speakers often use 'set' for the sun and 'sink' for ships. Japanese uses 'shizumu' for both, which is a key simplification to remember.

Nihon Chinbotsu (Japan Sinks) - A famous sci-fi novel by Sakyo Komatsu. Shayou (The Setting Sun) - A novel by Osamu Dazai. Various 'Enka' songs that talk about the sun sinking into the sea.

تدرّب في الحياة الواقعية

سياقات واقعية

Nature/Weather

太陽が沈む (Sun sets)
月が沈む (Moon sets)
日が沈む (Day ends/Sun sets)
夕日が沈む (Evening sun sets)

Water/Maritime

船が沈む (Ship sinks)
石が沈む (Stone sinks)
底に沈む (Sinks to the bottom)
水に沈む (Sinks in water)

Psychology/Mood

気分が沈む (Mood sinks)
気持ちが沈む (Feelings sink)
心が沈む (Heart sinks)
悲しみに沈む (Sunk in sadness)

Physical Comfort

ソファに沈む (Sink into a sofa)
ベッドに沈む (Sink into a bed)
体が沈む (Body sinks in)
深く沈む (Sinks deeply)

Abstract/Metaphorical

考えに沈む (Lost in thought)
闇に沈む (Sink into darkness)
歴史に沈む (Sink into history)
借金に沈む (Sunk in debt)

بدايات محادثة

"「夕日が沈むのを一緒に見に行きませんか？」 (Would you like to go see the sunset together?)"

"「最近、雨ばかりで気分が沈んでしまいますね。」 (Lately, it's been nothing but rain, so my mood gets down, doesn't it?)"

"「この新しいソファ、座るとすごく沈みますね！」 (This new sofa really sinks when you sit on it!)"

"「船が沈む映画を見たことがありますか？」 (Have you ever seen a movie where a ship sinks?)"

"「太陽が沈む時間は、国によって違いますよね。」 (The time the sun sets is different depending on the country, right?)"

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

今日、太陽が沈む時、あなたは何をしていましたか？詳しく書いてください。 (What were you doing when the sun set today? Please write in detail.)

最近、気持ちが沈んだ出来事はありましたか？どうやって元気になりましたか？ (Was there an event recently that made you feel down? How did you cheer up?)

もし海の底に沈んだ宝箱を見つけたら、中には何が入っていてほしいですか？ (If you found a treasure chest sunken at the bottom of the sea, what would you want to be inside?)

あなたが一番「心が沈む」と感じる天気や季節はいつですか？その理由も教えてください。 (What weather or season makes you feel most 'down'? Please tell me the reason as well.)

「沈む」という言葉を使って、短い詩を書いてみましょう。 (Try writing a short poem using the word 'shizumu'.)

الأسئلة الشائعة

10 أسئلة

No, you should use 'korobu' (to trip/fall) or 'taoreru' (to fall over). 'Shizumu' is only for sinking into something like mud or water.

No, for the morning sun, use 'noboru' (to rise) or 'deru' (to come out). 'Shizumu' is only for the evening.

You can say 'Kibun ga shizunde imasu' (My mood is sunk). It's a bit more formal/literary than 'ochikonde imasu'.

'Shizumu' is the general verb for 'to sink'. 'Chinbotsu' is a formal noun/verb specifically for shipwrecks or large-scale disasters. You wouldn't say the sun 'chinbotsu' suru.

It is sometimes used poetically, but 'hairu' (to enter) is much more common.

It's an N3 level kanji. The left side is 'water', and the right side '冘' is also found in words like 'hesitate'. It's not too difficult once you recognize the water radical.

No, for prices use 'sagaru' (to go down) or 'geraku suru' (to decline). 'Shizumu' is not for numerical values.

It literally means 'floating and sinking', but it's used to mean 'the ups and downs of life' or 'vicissitudes'.

No, that requires the transitive 'shizumeru'. You must say 'Kare wa ishi o shizumeta'.

Yes, especially in dramatic scenes with sunsets or when characters are going through emotional turmoil.

سجّل مجاناً للنصائح والملاحظات