Have you ever wondered how we can tell someone to shut up in Japanese? Perhaps you have heard in some anime someone say “Urusai”, “Shizukani”, “Damare”, and “Damatte”. In this article, we will look at the meaning of these words and their main differences, as well as other alternatives to tell someone to be quiet or stay silent in Japanese.
This article is important because Japanese learners need to understand that there is not just one word to tell someone to shut up, but various variations of some verbs and adjectives that express the desire and anger towards the noise or chatter that is happening.
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What does Damare mean? Damatte? [黙る]
It is very common to hear in anime, doramas, or Japanese movies someone say damare! or damatte! sometimes accompanied by “Kudasai” [ください] which means please. Both of these words are variations of the verb “Damaru” [黙る] which literally means to stay silent, to be quiet, to say nothing.
The ideogram [黙] means silence, to be silent, to stop talking, to leave it as it is, and other related ideas. The formality of the Japanese language can be seen in the list of variations below:
- 黙って下さい (Damatte Kudasai) – Trying to be polite
- 黙って (Damatte) – A little rude
- 黙れ (Damare) – Very rude, just like a shut up!
- 黙りなさい (Damarinasai) – Be quiet, please
- だまらっしゃい (Damarasshai) – A little polite
- お黙りなさい (Odamarinasai) – Polite
- 黙って聞いていて (Damatte kiiteite) – Stay silent and listen!
What Does Urusai [うるさい] Mean?
You have probably heard the word “Urusai” [煩い] from some short and “tsundere” character in anime or manga, and were puzzled by its meaning. Although it is often translated as “shut up!”, its use and meaning are much more diverse.
“Urusai” [うるさい] is a Japanese adjective that expresses something noisy or loud. However, due to the flexibility of the Japanese language, “urusai” is often used more than the verb “damaru” [黙る], which means “to be silent”.
When someone shouts or says [うるさい], they are referring to something annoying, bothersome, tiring, persistent, agitated, uncomfortable, and other sensations of discomfort or irritation. Most of the time, the expression conveys the simple idea of “shut up” or “be quiet”.
Despite the translations of the words presenting a greater degree of offense than damare, urusai tends to be friendlier depending on how it is said. Below you can see some variations of this adjective being used as expressions to tell someone to shut up:
- うるさい (Urusai) – Normal
- うるせえ (Urusee) – Offensive
- うっせえ (Uzee) – Very offensive
- うるせえよ (Uruseeyo) – Tokyo dialect
- やかましいわ (Yakamashiiwa) – Osaka dialect
- じゃかあしいわ (Jakaashiiwa) – Hiroshima dialect
“Urusai” is not only used to tell someone to stop making noise, but can also show irritation with some noise like dripping, neighbor’s sound, construction, and others. Additionally, “Urusai” can also show irritation for something that does not literally make a sound, for example, a persistent person can be called “Urusai”.
What does Shizukanishite [静かにして] mean?
Another very popular way to ask for silence in Japanese is by using the word “Shizukani” [静かに]. This term expresses the desire for something calm, quiet, peaceful, and gentle. “Shizukani” is often used to request that someone be silent or quiet, being the most formal and polite form existing in the language.
Teachers often use the polite version “shizuka ni shite kudasai” [静かにして下さい] or simply “shizukanishite” [静かにして]. This expression is commonly used in classrooms to respectfully and authoritatively ask students to be silent.
- お静かに (Oshizuka ni) – Please be quiet!
- 静かにしなさい (Shizuka ni shinasai) – Be quiet!
Other Ways to Tell “Shut Up” in Japanese
There are other ways to tell someone to be silent or “shut up” in Japanese, shall we take a look at them?
Shut Up, You Bastard
- [お前に言われる筋合いはない] omaeni iwareru sujiai ha nai
- [お前が言うな] omaegaiuna
- [聞きたくない] kikitakunai
- [聞こえない] kikoenai
The first two phrases convey the idea that you do not want the person to say anything, and the last two phrases convey the idea that you do not want to hear anything. Sometimes it is used to kill or cut off some subject, gossip, criticism, or complaint that you do not wish to hear or similar situations.
Other Words
To finish, I will leave some words and expressions that in certain situations can convey the idea of a “shut up” or “silence”.
- 仕舞う (Shimau) – To finish, to stop, to end, and to close
- 閉じ込める (Tojikomeru) – To lock, to silence, to imprison
- 塞ぐ (Fusagu) – To stop, to close, to cover, to silence
- 口をつぐむ (Kuchi wo tsugumu) – Hold your tongue, stay silent
- 口にチャック (Kuchi ni chakku) – Close the zipper of your mouth
- しーっ (Shhhh!) – I don’t need to comment on this…
- シャラップ (Sharappu) – From English Shut Up
- お黙りなさい (Odamarinasai) – Be quiet!
- 無言でいい (Mugon de ii) – It’s better to stay silent!
- もう一回言ったら殴るぞ (Mou ikkai ittara naguru zo) – If you say it again, I will hit you!
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