How to say "quiet" in Japanese

• 静かしずかJLPT N5approx.Common
  na-adjectiveCovers quiet in its most basic sense: free from noise or sound. Use it for a quiet room, street, or person — anywhere the point is simply that little or no sound is present.
  キャプテンは静しずかにするように命めいじた。↗

  The captain commanded silence.
• 穏やかおだやかJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjectiveQuiet in the sense of calm, mild, and peaceful rather than merely silent: mild weather, a calm sea, a person of gentle temperament. The stress is on tranquility, not the absence of sound.
  海うみは穏おだやかに、そしてなめらかに見みえる。↗

  The sea looks calm and smooth.
• ひっそりCommon
  adverb (with と), suru verbQuiet in the sense of a place that is still and deserted. This mimetic word evokes secluded, out-of-the-way quietness — a spot where little happens and few people are about.
• 悠々ゆうゆうJLPT N2approx.Common
  taru-adjective, adverb (with と)A marginal match for quiet: the word really means calm, composed, and leisurely, an unhurried manner or way of living. Choose it only when quiet carries that sense of leisurely composure.
  飛行機ひこうきは頭上ずじょうをゆうゆうと飛とんで行いった。↗

  The airplane sailed over our heads.
• 静めるしずめるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbUse this when quiet is a verb: to quiet a child or a crowd, making them calm and still. It describes the act of settling something down, not a state of being quiet.

Use 「静か」 for quiet in the basic sense of free from noise, 「穏やか」 when it means calm or gentle, 「ひっそり」 for still, deserted places, 悠々 for leisurely composure, and 「静める」 when quiet is a verb.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 静かしずかquiet
• 穏やかおだやかcalm
• ひっそりquiet (place)
• 悠々ゆうゆうquiet
• 静めるしずめるto quiet (a child, crowd, etc.)
• おとなしいgentle
• 沈黙ちんもくsilence
• のどかtranquil
• 安静あんせいrest
• 無口むくちtaciturn
• 閑静かんせいquiet (e.g. neighbourhood)
• 物静かものしずかquiet
• 静けさしずけさstillness
• 閑散かんさんdeserted (esp. store, market, town, streets)
• 神妙しんみょうmeek
• 寡黙かもくuntalkative
• 安穏あんのんpeace
• 無事ぶじsafety
• 平穏へいおんtranquil
• 平然へいぜんcalm
• 和やかなごやかmild
• 穏便おんびんgentle
• しとやかgraceful
• 落ち着けるおちつけるto quiet
• 静しずquiet
• 密やかひそやかquiet
• 閑寂かんじゃくquiet
• 寂静じゃくじょうquiet
• 幽寂ゆうじゃくquiet
• 静けししずけしquiet
• 粛々しゅくしゅくsilent
• つつましいmodest
• 森閑しんかんsilent
• 清閑せいかんpeaceful
• 粛然しゅくぜんsilent
• 平穏無事へいおんぶじpeaceful
• 平淡へいたんsimple
• 幽寂味ゆうじゃくみsolitude
• 取り鎮めるとりしずめるto quell
• 和めるなごめるto calm
• 大人しやかおとなしやかgentle
• のどやかtranquil
• 低騒音ていそうおんlow-noise
• 言葉少なことばずくなlaconic
• 和ますなごますto calm
• 不活発ふかっぱつdull
• おしとやかgraceful
• 安きやすきrest
• 水を打ったようみずをうったよう(suddenly) quiet
• 安いやすいcalm
• 地味じみreserved (behaviour, attitude, etc.)
• 無風むふうquiet (state of affairs)
• 沈静ちんせいstillness
• 温和おんわgentle (nature, personality, etc.)
• 落ち着いたおちついたunobtrusive
• 渋いしぶいaustere
• しっとりquiet
• 静せいquiet
• 粛しゅくsilent