閉じ込める・閉じこめる|とじこめるtojikomeru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
閉じ込める閉じ込める is the most common written form and the usual choice for learners. It combines kanji and kana.
閉じこめる閉じこめる is a less common variant of 閉じ込める, also written with kanji and kana; you may encounter it, but beginners should normally choose 閉じ込める.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto lock up; to shut up; to imprison
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 閉じ込める（とじこめる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 閉じ込めます（とじこめます） |
| Negative (nai) | 閉じ込めない（とじこめない） |
| polite (masen) | 閉じ込めません（とじこめません） |
| classical zu / nu | 閉じ込めず・閉じ込めぬ（とじこめず・とじこめぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 閉じ込めた（とじこめた） |
| polite (mashita) | 閉じ込めました（とじこめました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 閉じ込めなかった（とじこめなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 閉じ込めませんでした（とじこめませんでした） |
| Te form | 閉じ込めて（とじこめて） |
| Potential | 閉じ込められる（とじこめられる） |
| Passive | 閉じ込められる（とじこめられる） |
| Causative | 閉じ込めさせる（とじこめさせる） |
| Causative passive | 閉じ込めさせられる（とじこめさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 閉じ込めれば（とじこめれば） |
| tara | 閉じ込めたら（とじこめたら） |
| Volitional | 閉じ込めよう（とじこめよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 閉じ込めましょう（とじこめましょう） |
| Imperative | 閉じ込めろ（とじこめろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym監禁かんきんWrittenWritten term for confining someone by depriving them of freedom, as in 「監禁罪」; 「閉じ込める」 is the everyday verb.
- Synonym幽閉ゆうへいWrittenWritten word for keeping someone confined in seclusion, with a historical flavor; 「閉じ込める」 is more everyday.
- Synonym禁足きんそくWrittenWritten term for confining someone indoors and forbidding them to go out; 「閉じ込める」 stresses being shut in.
- Synonym押し込めるおしこめるCasualColloquial verb for forcing someone or something in and shutting them up; 「閉じ込める」 stresses being shut in and unable to get out, with a trapped nuance.
- Synonym封じ込めるふうじこめるNeutralVerb for sealing something in or containing its spread, as in 「感染を封じ込める」; 「閉じ込める」 is about shutting in so one cannot get out.
- Synonym封じ込むふうじこむNeutralVerb for shutting something in so it cannot escape; 「閉じ込める」 is the more common choice.
- Related抑留よくりゅうWrittenWritten term for detaining foreign nationals or ships; 「閉じ込める」 is the everyday word.
- Related禁錮きんこWrittenWritten legal term for a prison sentence without forced labour; 「閉じ込める」 is an everyday verb.
- Related拘禁こうきんWrittenWritten term for seizing and holding someone, such as a suspect in custody; 「閉じ込める」 is the everyday verb.
- Related拘置こうちWrittenWritten term for holding a defendant at a detention house; 「閉じ込める」 is more everyday.
- Related留置りゅうちWrittenWritten term for police detention of a suspect; 「閉じ込める」 is more everyday.
- Related留め置きとめおきNeutralNoun for detention or mail held at the post office for pickup; 「閉じ込める」 is about shutting in.
- Related収監しゅうかんWrittenWritten term for committing a convicted person to prison; 「閉じ込める」 is more everyday.
- Related投獄とうごくWrittenWritten term for throwing someone into prison; 「閉じ込める」 is more everyday.
- Related取りこめるとりこめるNeutralVerb for surrounding someone or something and shutting them in; 「閉じ込める」 is more common.
- Antonym出すだすNeutralVerb for taking or letting something out; it stands opposite to 「閉じ込める」 in shutting in versus letting out.
- Antonym解放するWrittenWritten word for setting someone free; it stands opposite to 「閉じ込める」 in shutting in versus releasing.
Use 「閉じ込める」 for shutting someone or something in so they cannot get out, as in 「エレベーターに閉じ込められる」. For containing a spread, use 「封じ込める」; for confining someone by force, 「監禁」; for holding suspects, 「拘禁」. The many written legal terms (抑留, 禁錮, 拘置, 留置, 収監, 投獄, 禁足) each name a specific kind of detention. Opposites: 「出す」 and 「解放する」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
See also
