Japanese word

奪う

Pronunciation

Romajiubau

Meaning

  • verbtake away

Example

兄が私のおもちゃを奪いました。ani ga watashi no o mo cha o uba i ma shi ta

My brother took my toy away.

Illustration for 奪う (take away)

More examples

急な仕事で、家族と過ごす時間を奪われました。kyū na shi goto de ka zoku to su go su ji kan o uba wa re ma shi ta

An unexpected task took away the time I planned to spend with my family.

Core concept

It describes forcing something out of another person's possession or control, whether it is a physical object, a right, or an opportunity.

Common phrases

  • 時間を奪うji kan o uba u

    steal someone's time

  • 自由を奪うji yū o uba u

    deprive someone of freedom

  • 権利を奪うken ri o uba u

    take away rights

Similar words

取り上げるtoriageru: To take something away from someone, often by authority or as a punishment.
盗むnusumu: To take something secretly without the owner's permission.
横取りするyokodorisuru: To take something that another person was supposed to receive or use.

Definition in Japanese

他人が持つ物や権利、機会などを、無理に取り上げて失わせる。ta nin ga mo tsu mono ya ken ri ki kai na do o mu ri ni to ri a ge te ushina wa se ru

Word origin

奪う (ubau, "to take away") is a native Japanese verb that developed from the older form うばふ (ubafu, "to take away").

Usage tips

  • The verb is stronger than 取る (toru) in everyday speech because it suggests that the other person loses something through force or unfair action.

Other meanings

  • snatchverb
  • stealverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word