落ち着かせる
ochitsukaseru
The Japanese phrase for "calming" (in the sense of making someone feel relaxed or peaceful) is 落ち着かせる (ochitsukaseru).
落ち着かせる is used to describe the act of making someone or something else feel calm or settled.
What does it mean word for word?
Therefore, 落ち着かせる literally means "to make (someone) settle down" or "to make (someone) calm".
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between 落ち着かせる and 落ち着く. 落ち着かせる is a transitive verb used when an agent is actively making someone or something else become calm. In contrast, 落ち着く is an intransitive verb meaning "to calm down" or "to settle down".
How do you pronounce it?
ochitsukaseru
Did you know?
- When describing a 'calming' scent or color, Japanese speakers often use the word 癒やされる 'iyasareru', which literally means 'to be healed'.
- The root of 落ち着かせる is 置く, which means 'to place' or 'to put'. It implies that one is physically placing an object or a person into a stable, fixed position.
- In Japanese, you can use 落ち着いて as a command to tell someone to 'calm down', but saying it too often to someone in a panic can actually be perceived as dismissive or aggravating.
Examples in context
- 両親は彼を落ち着かせることに成功した。The parents succeeded in calming him down.This sentence shows how to use 落ち着かせる to describe successfully calming someone down.Tatoeba #1113044 by mookeee, translation #325724 by CM
- 彼はいつも落ち着きがありますね。He always has a calm demeanor, doesn't he?
- この場所はとても安らかで、リラックスできます。This place is very peaceful, and you can relax here.
- 試験前はいつも落ち着けないな。I can never calm down before an exam.
- この音楽は気分を落ち着かせる。Kono ongaku wa kibun o ochi tsukaseru.This music calms one's mood.
- 彼女は泣いている赤ちゃんを落ち着かせる。Kanojo wa naite iru akachan o ochi tsukaseru.She calms the crying baby.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking about a new aromatherapy scent at home.
- 美咲 Misakiこの香りは心を落ち着かせるね。Kono kaori wa kokoro o ochi tsukaseru ne.This scent is very calming for the soul, isn't it?
- 陽太 Yota本当だね。すごくリラックスできるよ。Hontou da ne. Sugoku rirakkusu dekiru yo.It really is. I can relax so much.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太君も気に入ってよかった。Youta-kun mo kiniitte yokatta.I'm glad you like it too, Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaうん、とても落ち着く香りだ。Un, totemo ochi tsuku kaori da.Yeah, it's a very calming scent.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
