密室(みっしつ)

みっしつ
noun
locked room; closed room; secret chamber
1. locked room; sealed room; closed room
A room that is sealed or locked from the inside, especially in the context of mystery fiction where a crime is committed in a seemingly impossible setting.
密室(みっしつ)殺人(さつじん)の謎(なぞ)を解(と)く。
To solve the mystery of a locked-room murder.
これは完全(かんぜん)な密室(みっしつ)だ。
This is a completely sealed room.
犯人(はんにん)はどうやって密室(みっしつ)から逃(に)げたのだろう。
How did the culprit escape from the locked room?
2. behind closed doors; in secret
Used figuratively to describe decisions or discussions conducted in secret, without public scrutiny or transparency.
密室(みっしつ)で決(き)まった人事(じんじ)だ。
It was a personnel decision made behind closed doors.
密室(みっしつ)政治(せいじ)を批判(ひはん)する。
To criticize backroom politics.
重要(じゅうよう)な政策(せいさく)が密室(みっしつ)で決定(けってい)されることに国民(こくみん)は不満(ふまん)を抱(いだ)いている。
Citizens are frustrated that important policies are being decided behind closed doors.

Composed of 密(みつ) (secret, closed) + 室(しつ) (room). Has two distinct usage areas: mystery fiction and politics.

MYSTERY FICTION:

  • 密室(みっしつ)殺人(さつじん): locked-room murder
  • 密室(みっしつ)トリック: locked-room trick
  • 密室(みっしつ)の謎(なぞ): the mystery of the locked room

The 密室(みっしつ)ミステリー (locked-room mystery) is a beloved genre in Japan, with classic examples by Edogawa Ranpo and others.

POLITICAL USE:

  • 密室(みっしつ)政治(せいじ): backroom politics
  • 密室(みっしつ)協議(きょうぎ): closed-door talks
  • 密室(みっしつ)で決(き)める: to decide behind closed doors

Carries a negative connotation of secrecy and lack of transparency.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 個室(こしつ): private room (neutral, no secrecy implied)
  • 秘密(ひみつ): secret (abstract concept)
general
Added 2026.3.22 13:39 · Revised 2026.3.27 23:29
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