静か vs 穏やか
JLPT N5 vocabulary · what is the difference?
静か is about sound: there is no noise. 穏やか is about calmness of manner or condition — gentle weather, a calm sea, a mild-tempered person. A 穏やかな人 is not a silent person; they are an even-tempered one.
When to use each
静か
しずか
Use 静か when what matters is the absence of sound: a quiet library, a quiet town, telling children to be quiet. Of a person it means they do not talk much.
図書館は静かです。
としょかんはしずかです。
The library is quiet.
静かにしてください。
しずかにしてください。
Please be quiet.
穏やか
おだやか
Use 穏やか for something without disturbance or roughness: mild weather, a calm sea, a gentle personality, a peaceful conversation. Nothing about it requires silence.
今日は海が穏やかです。
きょうはうみがおだやかです。
The sea is calm today.
祖母は穏やかな人です。
そぼはおだやかなひとです。
My grandmother is a gentle person.
Sentences where only one works
この部屋は静かですね。
このへやはしずかですね。
This room is quiet, isn't it.
Purely about noise level, so 静か. 穏やかな部屋 is not a normal phrase.
今日は穏やかな天気です。
きょうはおだやかなてんきです。
The weather is mild today.
Weather is about wind and roughness, not sound — 穏やか only.
彼は穏やかな声で話しました。
かれはおだやかなこえではなしました。
He spoke in a gentle voice.
He is speaking, so he is not silent; the point is that his manner was calm.
彼女は静かな人で、あまり話しません。
かのじょはしずかなひとで、あまりはなしません。
She is a quiet person and doesn't talk much.
Of a person, 静か is specifically about talking little — a different claim from 穏やか.
Common mistakes
今日は静かな天気です。
今日は穏やかな天気です。
Weather has no volume. Calm, mild weather is 穏やか.
父は静かな性格です。
父は穏やかな性格です。
If you mean he is even-tempered and does not get angry, that is 穏やか. 静かな性格 says only that he is untalkative.
Frequently asked questions
Can a person be both 静か and 穏やか?
Yes, and many are — but they are separate claims. 静か says they are quiet; 穏やか says they are gentle and do not get worked up. A cheerful, chatty person can still be 穏やか.
Which one do I use to ask someone to be quiet?
静かにしてください, always. 穏やかにして would mean "calm down", which is a different request.
Is 穏やか too advanced for me?
It is around N3, but it is worth knowing early because 静か simply cannot cover weather, the sea, or temperament.