🦅 Project Eagle
Synonym Comparison

The Nuance Difference: "閉めます" vs "送ります"

Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.

Japanese Term A

閉めます

しめます (shimemasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B

送ります

おくります (okurimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus

Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

In Japanese, both 閉めます and 送ります are often translated to English but have distinct usages. 閉めます (しめます (shimemasu)) represents "to close" (Level: N5) and typically represents Transitive verb. Used for closing doors, windows, books, shops, eyes, etc. The object is marked with を.. On the other hand, 送ります (おくります (okurimasu)) translates to "to send, to escort" (Level: N5) and is used for Polite form of 送る. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "閉めます"
ドアを閉めます。
I close the door.
Bilingual Sentence for "送ります"
友達にメールを送ります。
I send an email to my friend.

Nuance Mastery Quiz

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "ドアを ___ 。" (Meaning: "I close the door.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "閉めます" fits here because it represents "to close" in the context: "I close the door.".