しまう

§ What does it mean and when do people use it?

The Japanese verb しまう (shimau) is incredibly common and useful, but it can be a little tricky because it has a few distinct meanings. Don't worry, we'll break it down so you can use it correctly every time.

At its core, しまう can mean 'to put away' or 'to store'. Think of organizing your things, putting books back on a shelf, or storing food in the fridge. This is its most literal sense.

DEFINITION

To put away; to store.

Translation hint: I'll put the books on the shelf.

Translation hint: Please put the food in the refrigerator.

The second major use of しまう is as an auxiliary verb, attached to the て-form of another verb (～てしまう). When used this way, it adds the nuance of 'to finish doing something completely' or 'to do something entirely'. It emphasizes the completion or finality of an action.

DEFINITION

To finish doing something; to do something completely.

Translation hint: I finished all my homework.

Translation hint: I ate the whole cake (finished it entirely).

Finally, and this is where it gets interesting, when used with the て-form (～てしまう), しまう can also express regret, an unintended action, or an action that happened accidentally or unfortunately. This is a very common nuance in everyday conversation.

DEFINITION

To do something accidentally; to regret doing something; something unfortunate happened.

Translation hint: I accidentally forgot (Oh no, I forgot!).

Translation hint: I lost my wallet (Unfortunately, I lost it).

So, when you see or hear しまう, always consider the context. Is it about physically putting something away? Is it emphasizing the complete finish of an action? Or is it conveying regret or an accident? Understanding these different applications will significantly boost your comprehension and naturalness in Japanese.

• Its core meaning is 'to put away' or 'to store'.
• As an auxiliary verb (～てしまう), it can mean 'to finish completely'.
• Also as an auxiliary verb (～てしまう), it can express regret or an accidental action.

§ Basic meaning and usage

The verb しまう (shimau) is super useful in Japanese, but it can be a bit tricky because it has a couple of different core meanings. Let's break it down.

Definition 1

To put away; to store.

This is the most straightforward meaning. Think of it as tidying up or storing something in its place. You use it just like any other transitive verb, with the object marked by を (o).

Hint: Put the book on the shelf.

Hint: I put the clothes in the closet.

Definition 2

To finish doing; to complete an action.

This usage is a bit more nuanced. When しまう (shimau) is attached to the て-form of another verb (～てしまう), it indicates that an action has been completed, often with a sense of finality, regret, or even accidentally. It implies that the action is done and cannot be undone, or it was an unintended consequence.

§ Using ～てしまう (te shimau) for completion

When you want to express that an action is finished, or completely done, you use the て-form of the main verb followed by しまう (shimau). It can sometimes convey a sense of 'all done' or 'finished completely'.

Hint: I finished all my homework.

Hint: I ate all the rice.

§ Expressing regret or accidental actions with ～てしまう

This is where it gets a bit more emotional. When you use ～てしまう (te shimau) to express regret, disappointment, or that something happened accidentally and you can't change it. It's like saying "oh no, I went and did X" or "X happened, unfortunately."

Hint: I accidentally dropped my wallet (and now it's gone, oh no!).

Hint: I carelessly blurted out the secret (and now I regret it).

§ Casual speech: ちゃう (chau) and じゃう (jau)

In casual spoken Japanese, ～てしまう (te shimau) often shortens to ちゃう (chau) for verbs ending in -て (te) and じゃう (jau) for verbs ending in -で (de). This is very common, so it's good to recognize it.

• Tabete shimau → Tabechau (食べちゃう)
• Yonde shimau → Yonjau (読んじゃう)

Hint: I already finished my homework!

Hint: Oh, I forgot my phone (and now I don't have it, bummer).

Understanding these different nuances of しまう (shimau) will significantly improve your comprehension and naturalness in Japanese. Pay attention to context to figure out which meaning is being used.

§ What しまう means

Japanese Word

しまう (verb)

CEFR Level

B1

Definition

To put away; to store; to finish doing.

§ Where you actually hear this word — work, school, news

You'll hear しまう in many situations, from casual conversations to more formal settings like work or school. It's a common and practical verb to know. Let's look at some specific examples.

§ At Work

In a work environment, しまう is often used when talking about completing tasks, putting things away, or sometimes, unfortunately, when something goes wrong. Pay attention to how it's used with other verbs.

• To finish a task:

  このレポートは今日中に仕上げてしまわなければなりません。

  Hint

  I must finish this report today. (仕上げる means to finish/complete.)

  資料をすべてキャビネットにしまってください。

  Hint

  Please put all the documents away in the cabinet.

• When something happens regretfully or completely:

  メールを誤って送ってしまいました。

  Hint

  I accidentally sent the email (and now I regret it or it's done). (送る means to send.)

§ At School

In a school context, しまう can be about finishing homework, packing up, or even making a mistake during a test.

• To finish something:

  宿題を早くやってしまおう。

  Hint

  Let's finish the homework quickly. (やる means to do.)

• To put things away:

  授業が終わったら、教科書をしまってください。

  Hint

  After class, please put away your textbooks.

• When a mistake happens:

  試験で答えを間違えて書いてしまった。

  Hint

  I wrote the wrong answer on the test (and now it's done). (書く means to write.)

§ In the News

While less frequent in formal news headlines as a standalone verb, you will hear しまう when reporting on events that have concluded or when describing actions that have occurred, sometimes with an unfortunate nuance.

• Reporting an event's completion:

  工場が閉鎖してしまったため、多くの従業員が職を失いました。

  Hint

  Many employees lost their jobs because the factory closed down (completely/unfortunately). (閉鎖する means to close/shut down.)

• Describing an action that has fully occurred:

  被害状況は予想以上にひどく、町の一部が水没してしまった。

  Hint

  The damage was worse than expected, and part of the town was submerged (completely). (水没する means to submerge.)

§ Understanding しまう: More Than Just 'Putting Away'

You've learned that しまう (shimau) means 'to put away,' 'to store,' or 'to finish doing.' It's a versatile verb, but its nuances can be tricky. Let's break down when to use it and how it compares to other similar Japanese words.

§ しまう for 'Putting Away' or 'Storing'

When you're talking about putting something in its proper place or storing it for later, しまう is often a good choice. It implies a sense of completion or tidiness.

DEFINITION

To put something in its designated place; to store it away.

Hint: I put the book on the shelf (put it away).

Hint: I put the clothes in the closet (stored them).

§ しまう for 'Finishing' or 'Completing' an Action

When しまう is used as an auxiliary verb, attached to the て-form of another verb (～てしまう), it indicates that an action has been completed, often with a sense of finality, regret, or unintended consequence.

DEFINITION

To completely finish an action; to do something entirely; to regretfully do something; to do something by accident.

Hint: I ate it all (finished eating it all).

Hint: I accidentally forgot it (with a nuance of regret).

§ Comparing しまう with Similar Verbs

Here's how しまう stacks up against other verbs that might seem similar but have different applications:

• 置く (oku) - To place, to put

  This is more general. 置く simply means to put something down or in a location, without necessarily implying storage or tidiness. It's about the physical act of placement.

  テーブルの上に本を置いてください。

  Hint: Please put the book on the table.

• 片付ける (katazukeru) - To tidy up, to put in order

  This verb emphasizes the act of tidying or organizing. While it involves putting things away, the focus is on creating order, not just placing an item.

  部屋を片付ける。

  Hint: To tidy up the room.

• 終える (oeru) or 終わる (owaru) - To finish, to end

  When talking about finishing a task or an event, 終える (transitive: to finish something) and 終わる (intransitive: something finishes) are more direct. They don't carry the nuances of regret or accidental action that ～てしまう can.

  仕事を終えました。

  Hint: I finished work.

  会議が終わった。

  Hint: The meeting ended.

§ Key Takeaway

しまう is often about a completed action of putting something away, or the completion of an action with added nuance (finality, regret, accidental doing). When you simply place something, use 置く. When you are tidying generally, use 片付ける. For a neutral statement of finishing, use 終える/終わる. Pay attention to the context to choose the most natural verb.