Translation guide
How to express the idea of 'settling down' in Japanese, covering meanings like calming down, establishing a stable life, and sinking to the bottom.
To become calm, quiet, or peaceful after being excited, noisy, or restless.
The most common and versatile verb for 'settling down' in the sense of calming down emotionally, becoming quiet, or settling into a place or situation.
興奮していた子供たちがようやく落ち着いた。
The excited children finally settled down.
新しい仕事にだいぶ落ち着いてきた。
I've pretty much settled down into my new job.
Means 'to become quiet' or 'to die down', often used for noise, wind, or commotion. More about external quietness than internal calm.
嵐が静まるまで待ちましょう。
Let's wait until the storm settles down.
Used when something like a dispute, pain, or commotion subsides or is brought under control. More formal/literary.
騒動がようやく収まった。
The disturbance finally settled down.
To start living a quiet, stable life, often after getting married, buying a house, or stopping a wandering lifestyle.
Literally 'to harden one's body', this idiom means to settle down in life, often by getting a stable job and marrying. Implies a conscious decision to become responsible.
そろそろ身を固めようと思っている。
I'm thinking it's about time to settle down.
Also used for settling into a stable life or place. Often used with 結婚して (after getting married) or 一つの場所に (in one place).
For particles or sediment to sink and accumulate at the bottom of a liquid.
Scientific/technical term for sedimentation. Used for particles settling in a liquid.
濁りが沈殿するのを待つ。
Wait for the sediment to settle down.
General verb for sinking. Can be used for sediment settling, but also for objects sinking. Less technical.
砂が底に沈んだ。
The sand settled down to the bottom.
落ち着く (ochitsuku) is used for people's emotions or situations becoming calm and stable. 静まる (shizumaru) is for external noise or commotion dying down. Use 落ち着く for 'I need to settle down' (emotionally), and 静まる for 'the room settled down' (became quiet).
The English phrase 'settle down!' as a command to be quiet is not directly translated. Use 静かにして (shizuka ni shite) or 落ち着いて (ochitsuite) depending on whether you mean 'be quiet' or 'calm down'.
結婚して、小さな町に落ち着いた。
I got married and settled down in a small town.
Literally 'to settle one's hips', meaning to settle down in a place for a long time. Emphasizes staying put.
この町に腰を落ち着けて、商売を始めた。
I settled down in this town and started a business.