決まる

Alternative forms

• 極まる (less common)

Etymology

Derived as the intransitive form of Old Japanese verb 決む (kimu, “to decide something, to conclude something; to be decided, to be concluded”).^[1][2][3]

The source verb kimu appears to follow a common pattern in Old Japanese verbs where the bare form is either transitive or intransitive, depending on context. This pattern persists in some modern verbs, such as つく (tsuku). Many of these Old Japanese verbs developed explicit transitive and intransitive forms, with one group adopting an -aru on the end for the intransitive (as the 未然形 (mizenkei, “irrealis or incomplete form”) ending in -a + the conjugating る (ru) as the basic spontaneous or passive verb ending), and an -eru on the end for the transitive (as the 已然形 (izenkei, “realis or potential form”) + the disappearing る (ru) as a generic verb ending).

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
  • (Tokyo) きまる [kìmárú] (Heiban – [0])^[2][4]
  • (Tokyo) きまる​ [kìmárúꜜ] (Odaka – [3])^[4]
  • IPA^(key): [kʲima̠ɾɯ̟ᵝ]

Verb

決まる (intransitive, godan conjugation, hiragana きまる, rōmaji kimaru)

1. to be decided, to be concluded, to be brought to a resolution

References