静(しず)まり返(かえ)る

しずまりかえる

verb (godan)

to fall completely silent

1. to fall completely silent; to become dead quiet

Describes a place or group of people becoming utterly still and silent. Stronger and more emphatic than 静まる alone.

教室(きょうしつ)が静(しず)まり返(かえ)った。

The classroom fell completely silent.

深夜(しんや)の住宅街(じゅうたくがい)は静(しず)まり返(かえ)っていた。

The residential neighborhood was dead quiet late at night.

校長(こうちょう)先生(せんせい)が壇上(だんじょう)に立(た)つと、体育館(たいいくかん)は一瞬(いっしゅん)で静(しず)まり返(かえ)った。

The moment the principal took the stage, the gymnasium fell instantly silent.

静(しず)まり返(かえ)る is an intransitive godan verb. It is a compound of 静(しず)まる (to become quiet) and 返(かえ)る used as a suffix meaning "thoroughly" or "completely."

ASPECT (ている):
静(しず)まり返(かえ)っている describes a state of complete silence already achieved.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

教室(きょうしつ)が静(しず)まり返(かえ)る (classroom falls silent)
会場(かいじょう)が静(しず)まり返(かえ)る (venue falls silent)
辺(あた)りが静(しず)まり返(かえ)る (the surroundings go quiet)

The ～返(かえ)る suffix intensifies the base verb, similar to how 冷(ひ)え返(かえ)る means "to become ice cold."

general

Added 2026.3.2 18:27

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