決める・極める|きめるkimeru[0]heiban (flat)
キメるkimeru
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Which spelling to use
決める決める is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners. Use it wherever you need to write this word.
極める極める is a less common written form of this word. Learners will usually want to use 決める instead, though 極める may appear in writing.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto decide; to choose; to determine; to make up one's mind; to resolve; to set one's heart on; to settle; to arrange; to set; to appoint; to fix
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto clinch (a victory); to decide (the outcome of a match)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto persist in doing; to go through with
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto always do; to have made a habit ofas 決めている
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto take for granted; to assume
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto dress up; to dress to kill; to dress to the nines
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto carry out successfully (a move in sports, a pose in dance, etc.); to succeed in doing
- ichidan verb, transitive verb, martial arts, sumoto immobilize with a double-arm lock (in sumo, judo, etc.)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto eat or drink something; to take illegal drugs
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 決める（きめる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 決めます（きめます） |
| Negative (nai) | 決めない（きめない） |
| polite (masen) | 決めません（きめません） |
| classical zu / nu | 決めず・決めぬ（きめず・きめぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 決めた（きめた） |
| polite (mashita) | 決めました（きめました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 決めなかった（きめなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 決めませんでした（きめませんでした） |
| Te form | 決めて（きめて） |
| Potential | 決められる（きめられる） |
| Passive | 決められる（きめられる） |
| Causative | 決めさせる（きめさせる） |
| Causative passive | 決めさせられる（きめさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 決めれば（きめれば） |
| tara | 決めたら（きめたら） |
| Volitional | 決めよう（きめよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 決めましょう（きめましょう） |
| Imperative | 決めろ（きめろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
日が決まる
日を決める
決まる focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 日が決まる; 決める foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 日を決める.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym決定けっていWrittenSino-Japanese word for making a decision, as in 「決定事項」; more formal than the colloquial 「決める」.
- Synonym決するけっするWrittenWritten/formal prose for settling an outcome or steeling one's resolve, as in 「勝敗を決する」.
- Synonym決断けつだんWrittenMaking a firm, decisive call, as in 「決断を下す」; it can come after long deliberation, and the stress is on resolve rather than speed.
- Synonym確定かくていWrittenBecoming final and fixed, as in 「確定申告」; stresses settling a matter once and for all.
- Synonym決意けついWrittenA firm resolve to go ahead and do something, as in 「決意を固める」; carries a note of determination.
- Synonym決心けっしんWrittenMaking up one's mind to do something, as in 「禁煙を決心する」; centers on inner resolve.
- Synonym取り決めるとりきめるNeutralAgreeing on terms between the parties involved, as in 「ルールを取り決める」; neutral in register.
- Related決議けつぎFormalA resolution adopted at a meeting, as in 「決議案」; formal, and a collective rather than personal decision.
- Related議決ぎけつFormalFormal voting and deciding by a deliberative body such as a parliament or shareholders' meeting, as in 「議決権」.
- Related思い立つおもいたつNeutralSuddenly hitting on the idea of doing something, as in 「思い立ったが吉日」; neutral, and more impulsive than 「決める」.
- Related決定づけるけっていづけるWrittenActing as the decisive factor that settles an outcome, as in 「勝敗を決定づける」; written/formal prose.
- Related思い定めるおもいさだめるWrittenWritten/formal prose for firmly making up one's mind; rare, and everyday speech prefers 「決心する」.
- Antonym迷うまようNeutralWavering and being unable to decide, as in 「どちらにするか迷う」; the neutral opposite of 「決める」.
- Antonym決めないCasualThe negative form: leaving a matter undecided rather than settling it; the colloquial opposite of 「決める」.
- Antonym躊躇するWrittenWritten/formal prose for hesitating over a decision; the written-flavored opposite of 「決める」.
Default to 「決める」 for deciding. Use 「決定」 in formal contexts, 「決断」 for decisive calls, 「決心」 or 「決意」 for making up one's mind, 「取り決める」 when parties agree on something, 「決議」 for meeting resolutions, and 「迷う」 for hesitating.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
