Japanese Kanji for Calm: 静 and 安
The Japanese kanji for calm is 静 (quiet, stillness, 14 strokes) or 安 (safety, peace, 6 strokes). As a word, 'quiet' is written 静か (shizuka), and 'calmness' is 静けさ (shizukesa) or 平静 (heisei). The single 静 is not a word: it needs the hiragana か.
There are two Japanese 'calms,' and they mean different things. 静 is silence around you: no sound, no movement. 安 is peace within: nothing threatens you. The first appears in descriptions of gardens, the second in the word for 'safety.'
How to Write the Kanji for Calm in Japanese
- Meaning
- quiet, calm, still
- Onyomi
- セイ、ジョウ
- Kunyomi
- しず-、しず.か、しず.まる、しず.める
- strokes
- 14
14 strokes. Click 'Show stroke order' — on the left 青 'blue', on the right 争 'dispute'.
The Second Character: 安
安 (6 strokes) consists of the 'roof' 宀 and 'woman' 女 — an ancient image of a house where everything is fine. Hence 安心 (anshin) 'peace of mind', 安全 (anzen) 'safety', 不安 (fuan) 'anxiety'. If you need calm as the absence of anxiety, you use 安.
Words for Calm
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 静かしずか | shizuka | Quiet, calm |
| 静寂せいじゃく | seijaku | Silence, deep quiet |
| 安心あんしん | anshin | Peace of mind, relief |
| 安全あんぜん | anzen | Safety |
| 平静へいせい | heisei | Calmness, composure |
| 落ち着くおちつく | ochitsuku | To calm down, to compose oneself |
| 不安ふあん | fuan | Anxiety, worry |
How to Say 'Calm Down'
落ち着いて (ochitsuite) — 'calm down, pull yourself together': it's about emotions here and now. 安心して (anshin shite) — 'don't worry, everything is fine': it relieves anxiety about the future. 静かにして (shizuka ni shite) — 'be quiet!', already about noise, not feelings.
Write 静 Yourself
FAQ
Which kanji means calm?
There are two: 静 — silence, outer calm (14 strokes), and 安 — peace, absence of threat (6 strokes). The word for 'quiet' is 静か (shizuka).
Can you write the single 静?
As a word, no: you need the hiragana か (静か) or the pair 静寂. The single character is read as a root and is not a word.
How is 静 different from 安?
静 is about silence and stillness around you. 安 is about inner peace and safety: 安心 'peace of mind', 安全 'safety'.
How do you say 'calm down' in Japanese?
落ち着いて (ochitsuite) — about emotions. 安心して (anshin shite) — 'don't worry'. 静かにして (shizuka ni shite) — 'be quiet', about noise.
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