关闭

You will mostly use this in professional or technical settings. If your computer is acting up, you 关闭 the program. If you are the last one leaving the office, you 关闭 the heavy main doors. It usually follows the object you are closing. For example, 关闭窗口 means closing a window on your screen. It sounds clean, efficient, and very clear.

Use it when you want to sound precise. It is perfect for workplace emails or technical instructions. Use it when talking about apps, websites, or factory machinery. If you are a shop owner, you use this to announce your store is closing for the holidays. It carries a sense of authority and completion that a simple 关 lacks.

Do not use 关闭 for small, casual actions. If you are asking a friend to turn off the lights, just say 关灯. Using 关闭 there sounds like you are a robot. Also, avoid it for 'closing' a deal or 'closing' your eyes in a casual way. For eyes, we usually just say 闭上. Don't use it for 'closing' a book either; that has its own special word, 合上.

In Chinese culture, the character 关 originally referred to a gate at a mountain pass. It implies a barrier or a transition. 闭 means to shut a door with a crossbar. Together, they represent a very secure, intentional act of closing. In modern China, you see this word everywhere on digital interfaces, reflecting the country's massive tech shift.

You will often see 关门 for physical doors or stores. In tech, you might see 退出 for exiting an app. But 关闭 remains the king of the 'Close' button. Sometimes people use 关掉 in spoken Chinese to sound more casual while still meaning 'to shut something off completely.'