The kanji 閉(hei) primarily conveys the meaning of "to close," "to shut," "to be closed," or "to be shut." It describes the action of blocking access, either physically or metaphorically. It implies the cessation of an opening or activity.

・On-yomi (音読み): ヘイ (hei) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): と（じる） (to(jiru))

⚫︎ 店（みせ）を閉（と）める Translation: To close a shop. ⚫︎ 閉（へい）鎖（さ） Translation: Closure; blockade. ⚫︎ 閉（と）じ込（こ）もる Translation: To shut oneself in; to seclude oneself.

The kanji 閉(hei) is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phonetic-semantic compound. It is composed of two parts: 門 (mon, "gate" or "door") on the outside and 閇 (pronounced similarly, but now obsolete) inside. 閇 originally meant "to close." The 門 (mon) is the semantic component, indicating that the character relates to doors or openings, and the 閇 is the phonetic component, providing a clue to the pronunciation ヘイ (hei). Therefore, the combination of these two elements visually represents the act of closing or shutting a gate or door.