Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Put" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "put", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
置く
おく (oku)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
仕舞う
しまう (shimau)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "put" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 置く and 仕舞う.
In Japanese, 置く (おく (oku)) is typically associated with "to put, to place" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents 物をある場所に静かに置くときに使います。Polite form is 置きます.
On the other hand, 仕舞う (しまう (shimau)) maps to "to put away, to finish, to store, to close (a shop)" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents As a main verb, it primarily means to put something away in its designated place or to finish an activity/close a business. As an auxiliary verb. A literal translation of "put" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "置く"
テーブルの上に本を置きます。
I put the book on the table.
Bilingual Context for "仕舞う"
使ったおもちゃを箱に仕舞った。
I put away the toys I used into the box.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "テーブルの上に本を置きます。" (Meaning: "I put the book on the table.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "置く" fits here because it means "to put, to place" in the context of: "I put the book on the table.". "仕舞う" represents "to put away, to finish, to store, to close (a shop)".