Translation guide
How to express that something is decided, settled, or fixed in Japanese, depending on whether the decision is made by people, by rules, or by fate.
To say that a plan, date, or course of action has been decided, often after discussion or consideration.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be decided' or 'to be settled'. Used when the decision is the result of a process or discussion, without specifying who decided.
会議の日程が決まりました。
The meeting date has been decided.
方針はまだ決まっていません。
The policy hasn't been decided yet.
More formal than 決まる. Often used in official or business contexts. Can be transitive or intransitive, but here used intransitively as 'to be decided'.
新しい規則が決定しました。
The new rules have been decided.
Literally 'become a decision', used when a tentative plan becomes official.
旅行は来月に決まりになった。
The trip has been decided for next month.
To express that something is predetermined, inevitable, or set by external circumstances.
Often used to mean 'it is fixed' or 'it is a rule'. Can imply that something is obvious or goes without saying.
ルールは決まっているから、変えられない。
The rules are fixed, so we can't change them.
やるべきことは決まっている。
What needs to be done is decided.
More literary or formal. Implies something is established or settled, often by natural order or long-standing custom.
Means 'to be finalized' or 'confirmed'. Used for schedules, results, or numbers that become definite.
日程が確定しました。
The schedule has been finalized.
To say that the result of a match or competition has been determined.
Means 'to be settled' or 'to be concluded', often used for disputes or competitions.
試合の決着がついた。
The match has been decided.
Literally 'the match is decided', meaning the winner is clear.
この一打で勝負が決まった。
The match was decided by this one stroke.
To express that something is still up in the air or not settled.
Noun meaning 'undecided' or 'not yet fixed'. Common in schedules and announcements.
詳細は未定です。
Details are yet to be decided.
Standard way to say 'it hasn't been decided yet'.
日時はまだ決まっていません。
The date and time haven't been decided yet.
決める (kimeru) is transitive: 'to decide something'. 決まる (kimaru) is intransitive: 'to be decided'. Use 決まる when the focus is on the decision itself, not the decider.
私が日時を決めます。
I will decide the date and time.
日時が決まります。
The date and time will be decided.
English 'be decided' is often translated with the intransitive 決まる, not the passive 決められる. The passive can sound unnatural or imply someone was forced to decide.
方針が定まった。
The policy has been settled.