Japanese word

沈める

Pronunciation

Romajishizumeru

Meaning

  • verbsink

Example

船を海底に沈めます。fune o kai tei ni shizu me ma su

I sink the ship to the seabed.

Illustration for 沈める (sink)

More examples

箱を水の中にゆっくり沈めました。bako o mizu no naka ni yu kku ri shizu me ma shi ta

I slowly submerged the box in the water.

Core concept

Describes causing something to move below the surface or to a lower position, often through deliberate force.

Common phrases

  • 船を海に沈めるfune o umi ni shizu me ru

    sink a ship in the sea

  • 水中に沈めるsui chū ni shizu me ru

    submerge in water

Similar words

押し下げるoshisageru: To move something to a lower position by applying downward force.
浸すhitasu: To put something into a liquid so that it is partly or completely covered.

Definition in Japanese

物や人を水面や地面より下に入り込ませる。mono ya hito o sui men ya ji men yo ri shita ni hai ri ko ma se ru

Word origin

沈める (shizumeru) is the transitive counterpart of 沈む (shizumu, "sink"), formed from the native Japanese verb for sinking.

Usage tips

  • Japanese distinguishes between an object sinking on its own and someone causing it to sink, so this verb commonly appears when a person or action controls the result.

Other meanings

  • submergeverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 沈め方shizumekataway of sinkingnoun

Word lists with this word