Japanese word

はねる

Pronunciation

Romajihaneru

Meaning

  • verbhit

Example

車が自転車に乗った人をはねました。kuruma ga ji ten sha ni no tta hito o ha ne ma shi ta

The car hit a person on a bicycle.

Illustration for はねる (hit)

More examples

大型車は、見通しの悪い道で歩行者をはねる危険があります。ō gata sha wa mi tō shi no waru i michi de ho kō sha o ha ne ru ki ken ga a ri ma su

On roads with poor visibility, large vehicles risk hitting pedestrians.

Core concept

Describes a vehicle striking a person or another road user with enough force to knock them down.

Common phrases

  • 人をはねるhito o ha ne ru

    hit a person

  • 自転車をはねるji ten sha o ha ne ru

    hit a bicycle

Similar words

轢くhiku: To run over a person or animal with a vehicle, with a wheel passing over the body.
ぶつけるbutsukeru: To hit a person or object with a vehicle, causing a collision.

Definition in Japanese

車などが人や自転車などに衝突し、相手を倒すこと。kuruma na do ga hito ya ji ten sha na do ni shō totsu shi ai te o tao su ko to

Word origin

The traffic sense of the native verb はねる (haneru) is represented by 撥ねる (haneru), with 撥 (hatsu, "to flick away") reflecting the act of knocking something aside.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese traffic reports, はねる (haneru) often describes a vehicle striking a pedestrian, while English hit also covers a light touch or a blow by hand.

Other meanings

  • run oververb
  • knock downverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word