終わる・終る・了る・卒る・畢る・竟る|おわるowaru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
終わるThe kanji-and-kana spelling 終わる（おわる） is the most common written form. It is the recommended default for beginners.
終る終る（おわる） is less common than 終わる（おわる） and is another written spelling of the same verb. Beginners should normally choose 終わる（おわる）.
了る了る（おわる） is a rarely used written spelling. You will seldom see it in writing, so use 終わる（おわる） instead.
卒る卒る（おわる） is a rarely used written spelling. You will seldom see it in writing, so use 終わる（おわる） instead.
畢る畢る（おわる） is a rarely used written spelling. You will seldom see it in writing, so use 終わる（おわる） instead.
竟る竟る（おわる） is a rarely used written spelling. You will seldom see it in writing, so use 終わる（おわる） instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto end; to come to an end; to finish; to close; to be over
- godan verb, transitive verbto finish; to complete; to conclude
- suffix, godan verbto finish doingafter the -masu stem of a verb
- godan verb, intransitive verbto be past its (one's) primeas 終わって(い)る or 終わった
- godan verb, intransitive verbto be awful; to be terrible; to suck; to be hopelessas 終わって(い)る
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 終わる（おわる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 終わります（おわります） |
| Negative (nai) | 終わらない（おわらない） |
| polite (masen) | 終わりません（おわりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 終わらず・終わらぬ（おわらず・おわらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 終わった（おわった） |
| polite (mashita) | 終わりました（おわりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 終わらなかった（おわらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 終わりませんでした（おわりませんでした） |
| Te form | 終わって（おわって） |
| Potential | 終われる（おわれる） |
| Passive | 終わられる（おわられる） |
| Causative | 終わらせる（おわらせる） |
| Causative passive | 終わらせられる・終わらされる（おわらせられる・おわらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 終われば（おわれば） |
| tara | 終わったら（おわったら） |
| Volitional | 終わろう（おわろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 終わりましょう（おわりましょう） |
| Imperative | 終われ（おわれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
会議が終わる
終わる (as in 会議が終わる) focuses on the event ending by itself; 終える (as in 会議を終える) focuses on someone bringing it to an end.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymしまうNeutralIn modern Japanese mostly seen as 「～てしまう」, marking completion or regret; standalone it means putting things away or closing a shop — for ending things it is dated.
- Synonym終えるおえるNeutralTransitive: you finish something off, as in 「仕事を終える」. 「終わる」 is usually intransitive — the thing itself comes to an end.
- Synonym終了しゅうりょうNeutralA Sino-Japanese noun for ending or termination, common in broadcasts, matches, and systems, as in 「試合終了」; more formal than 「終わる」.
- Synonym完了かんりょうNeutralEverything is done with nothing left over, as in 「準備完了」 or 「ダウンロード完了」; stresses the state of being fully finished.
- Synonym終結しゅうけつWrittenWritten/formal prose for the ending of wars, disputes and the like, as in 「戦争の終結」.
- Synonym終息しゅうそくWrittenWritten/formal prose for unrest, epidemics and the like dying down or ceasing, as in 「感染の終息」.
- SynonymクローズNeutralLoanword for closing or shutting up shop, as in 「店がクローズする」; mostly business contexts.
- SynonymフィニッシュNeutralLoanword for the finish of a race or the final phase of a movement, such as a gymnastics landing; mainly in sports.
- Synonym完結かんけつNeutralA serial or series comes to a complete, whole ending, as in 「シリーズ完結」; stresses completeness.
- Synonym済むすむNeutralA matter is settled or taken care of, or ends with a lighter outcome than feared, as in 「謝って済む問題じゃない」.
- Synonym了するりょうするWrittenWritten/formal prose meaning to complete; it can also mean to understand. Rare in everyday speech.
- Synonym終止しゅうしWrittenWritten/formal prose for termination; mostly in compounds like 「終止形」, rarely used alone.
- Related終業しゅうぎょうNeutralThe end of the workday or of a school term, as in 「終業時間」 or 「終業式」; limited to work and school.
- Related閉会へいかいNeutralA meeting or conference ends, as in 「閉会式」 or 「閉会の辞」; used only for meetings and similar events.
- Related閉幕へいまくNeutralA performance's curtain falls or a large event comes to an end, as in 「大会が閉幕する」.
- Related完成かんせいNeutralA work or building is completed, as in 「ビルが完成する」; stresses the finished product, where 「終わる」 only says something ends.
- Related済ますすますNeutralTransitive: get a task done and over with, or make do with something, as in 「昼食をパンで済ます」.
- Related仕上げるしあげるNeutralFinish something with the final touches, as in 「レポートを仕上げる」; stresses wrapping up the last stage.
- Relatedし終えるしおえるNeutralA plain, everyday way to say you have finished doing a given action, as in 「仕事をし終える」; the focus is on carrying that action through to the end.
- Related手仕舞いてじまいWrittenWritten/formal economic term for closing out a trade and settling gains or losses; not used in daily life.
- Relatedなし終えるなしおえるWrittenWritten/formal prose for accomplishing something difficult; very rare.
- Relatedなし終わるなしおわるWrittenWritten/formal prose for a matter being finished and settled; very rare.
- Antonym始まるはじまるNeutralAntonym: things begin or get started, the opposite of 「終わる」.
「終わる」 is the default for something ending; to finish something, use 「終える」. 「終了」 is formal, for announcements and systems; 「完了」 means all done, 「完成」 a finished work, 「閉会」 a closed meeting. Narrower words: 「終結」 and 「終息」 for wars and epidemics, 「完結」 for series, 「済む」 and 「済ます」 for settled matters, 「仕上げる」 for final touches, 「し終える」 for completing a specific action, 「終業」 for the workday, 「閉幕」 for events, 「クローズ」 and 「フィニッシュ」 for business and sports. Most of the others are written, rare, or dated.
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
