How do you say "quiet" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "quiet" is 静かな (Shizuka na). It is a adjective pronounced "shee-zoo-kah nah".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

静かな is written in kanji and hiragana. Romanised as Shizuka na, it sounds roughly like "shee-zoo-kah nah" to an English ear.

Example sentence

この図書館はとても静かです。

Kono toshokan wa totemo shizuka desu.

This library is very quiet.

Usage notes

Shizuka na (静かな) is a na-adjective meaning quiet or calm. It describes low noise levels as well as a peaceful atmosphere. Its opposite is urusai (noisy). Shizuka ni shite (please be quiet) is a common polite request.

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Questions about 静かな

How do you pronounce 静かな?

静かな is romanised as Shizuka na. Say it roughly like "shee-zoo-kah nah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 静かな formal or casual?

静かな is a na-adjective or noun-adjective. It is neutral in register and fits naturally in both casual and polite sentences. Add na before a noun, or use desu for a polite predicate.

How is 静かな written in Japanese?

静かな is written using kanji and hiragana. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.