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What is the difference of meanings between the spellings
しまう、仕舞{しま}う、終{しま}う、了{しま}う? Or at least, between the first two? (They are
marked as common.)

If there is a source about such nuances, I'll appreciate links.

**More specifically:**  
I know that しまう (in kana spelling) is a subsidiary verb, and a very common
one. Besides that, I want to learn the full verb pronounced 【しまう】 ( _1 to
finish; 2to close down; 3to put away_). So:

  1. Is the kana spelling しまう used for the full verb at all?
  2. If I want to translate the full verb from English into Japanese, how do I choose the spelling?
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words homophonic-kanji spelling resources
What is the difference between spellings しまう、仕舞う、終う、了う?
Adding on to **oals** ' answer:

> 仕舞う
>
> to finish; to close; to do something completely; to put away; to put an end
> to
>
> Common word, Godan verb with u ending, Transitive verb, **Usually written
> using kana alone**

Source: [edict](http://www.edrdg.org/jmdict/edict.html), searchable on
[jisho.org](http://jisho.org/words?jap=%E4%BB%95%E8%88%9E%E3%81%86&eng=&dict=edict)

It seems only しまう and 仕舞う are in common use (the others being rather obscure),
and even among those two, I've only ever come across the hiragana form.

While not a native speaker, they do all seem to refer to the same word. Any
difference in nuance would come from the spelling (kanji is generally
perceived to be more professional, etc..)

Also, all of the spellings you listed are listed within the same entry in both
the
[大辞林](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E4%BB%95%E8%88%9E%E3%81%86%E3%83%BB%E7%B5%82%E3%81%86%E3%83%BB%E4%BA%86%E3%81%86%E3%83%BB%E8%94%B5%E3%81%86-285661)
and [デジタル大辞泉](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/100617/m0u/).

**Update:**

I don't believe しまう is used very often aside from the common ~てしまう construct.
There are many other alternative and more commonly used words used depending
on the context. (終わる, 終える, 成し遂げる, and so on..)

There is also the expression しまった, which you may see.

**Update 2:**

Regarding your second question, if you are intent on using the verb しまう, I
would stick to しまう as the other spellings are not in common use (as denoted on
デジタル大辞泉 with ▽).

**Correction from DariusJahandarie:**

> 「しまう」 is used commonly as a regular verb, and **even in those cases it's
> almost never written using kanji** (although using kanji is more acceptable
> here than when it's being used as a 補助動詞).
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