How to say "silence" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 無言むごんno-adjectiveCovers silence specifically as not speaking. Use it when someone stays silent, says nothing, or answers wordlessly, as in an awkward pause in conversation or a silent reaction.
- 沈黙ちんもくnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe general word for silence, especially a sustained or deliberate quiet, such as an awkward, tense, or meaningful silence between people or after a statement. It also works for a hush that falls over a room.
- 静寂せいじゃくnoun, na-adjectiveRefers to silence as stillness and quietness of a place, often with a somewhat literary or evocative feel. It suits descriptions of serene, hushed surroundings rather than someone simply not speaking.
- 無声むせいnounChiefly means noiselessness, muteness, or voicelessness rather than everyday silence, so it is seldom the word you want for ordinary quiet. Reach for it when the point is an absence of sound or voice.
- 静けさしずけさnounDenotes the stillness or quietness of an environment, a hush you can feel in a place, such as a quiet room, street, or landscape. It is the natural choice for peaceful surroundings, not for someone refraining from speech.
Choose 無言 for absence of speech, 沈黙 for deliberate or lasting silence, 「静けさ」 for quiet surroundings, 静寂 for stillness with a literary feel, and reserve 無声 for voicelessness or noiselessness.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 無言むごんsilence (not speaking)
- 沈黙ちんもくsilence
- 静寂せいじゃくsilence
- 無声むせいsilence
- 静けさしずけさstillness
- 静寂しじまsilence
- 沈黙ちんもくSilence (1966 novel by Shūsaku Endō)
- 無音むおんsilence
- サイレンスsilence
- だんまりsilence
- 不言ふげんsilence
- 不言不語ふげんふごsilence
- 不語ふごsilence
- 音なしおとなしsilence
- やり込めるやりこめるto talk (someone) down
- 箝口かんこうkeeping silent
- 口を封じるくちをふうじるto muzzle
- 緘するかんするto silence
See also
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