閉める
しめる
hepburn shimeru
to close, to shut
Part of speech · ichidan-verb
Pattern visualization
no decomposition available
Examples
- ドアを閉めてください。Please close the door.
- 店は六時に閉まります。The shop closes at 6.
Collocations
閉める (shimeru, close — transitive)閉まる (shimaru, close — intransitive)締める (shimeru, tighten — different kanji)閉店 (heiten, store closing)気を引き締める (ki wo hikishimeru, brace oneself — idiom)
Mnemonic
閉める shimeru — transitive "to close", opposite of 開ける. Intransitive pair 閉まる (shimaru). The four verbs 開ける/開く/閉める/閉まる are the classic N5 intransitive/transitive model set. Homophone trap: 閉める (close) vs 締める (tighten / fasten, as in tying a necktie) — same sound, different kanji and meaning. 締める appears in ネクタイを締める (tie a tie), 気を引き締める (brace oneself). Master 開/閉 at N5, add 締 at N3+.
Quick check
Which kanji for "tie a necktie"?