締める（しめる）
JLPT N4 · Ichidan verb (Group 2)
Pitch accent: nakadaka (middle-high) — pitch drops after mora 2
Meaning: to tighten / fasten
Conjugation
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| masu-form (polite) | 締めます | しめます |
| te-form | 締めて | しめて |
| ta-form (past) | 締めた | しめた |
| nai-form (negative) | 締めない | しめない |
| potential form | 締められる | しめられる |
See the full conjugation table for "締める" →
Example sentences
- シートベルトをしっかり締める。 — I fasten my seatbelt securely.
- 仕事の時はネクタイを締める。 — I wear a necktie at work.
Idioms & proverbs containing “締める”
- 兜の緒を締める (かぶとのおをしめる) — to brace oneself (e.g. for battle); to pull oneself together; to focus one's mind; to tighten the strings of one's helmet
Antonyms
- 緩める (ゆるめる) — to loosen
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “締める” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)