じまい

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

suffix

usually written using kana alone

Attaches to a noun to mean the end of that thing, often with a nuance of finality or closing up. Common in compounds like 店じまい (closing a shop for the day or for good).

Written forms

じまいUsage79%
Usually written in kana. The kanji spellings 仕舞い, 仕舞, 終い, and 了い exist but are rare in modern use.
仕じ舞まいUsage21%
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form じまい is strongly preferred.
仕じ舞まい
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form じまい is strongly preferred.
終じまい
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form じまい is strongly preferred.
了じまい
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form じまい is strongly preferred.

Kanji

仕attend, doing, official
舞dance, flit, circle
終end, finish
了complete, finish

Similar words

店みせじまい
A common compound using じまい, specifically meaning closing a shop for the day or permanently.
しまい
The noun form meaning 'end' or 'finish', from which the suffix じまい is derived. しまい is a standalone word, while じまい is a suffix.

Etymology

Derived from the noun しまい (仕舞い), meaning 'end' or 'finish', with rendaku voicing to じまい when used as a suffix. The kanji 仕舞い is ateji.

Meanings

suffix

ending; closing; quitting

usually written using kana alone

Attaches to a noun to mean the end of that thing, often with a nuance of finality or closing up. Common in compounds like 店じまい (closing a shop for the day or for good).