Japanese word

討つ

Pronunciation

Romajiutsu

Meaning

  • verbdefeat

Example

勇者は敵を討ちます。yū sha wa teki o u chi ma su

The hero defeats the enemy.

Illustration for 討つ (defeat)

More examples

城を攻め落とし、敵の大将を討ちました。shiro o se me o to shi teki no tai shō o u chi ma shi ta

They captured the castle and defeated the enemy commander.

Core concept

It describes forcefully confronting an enemy until the enemy is overcome, sometimes with a sense of purposeful retaliation.

Common phrases

  • 仇を討つada o u tsu

    avenge a wrong

  • 敵を討つteki o u tsu

    defeat an enemy

Similar words

倒すtaosu: To defeat or bring down an opponent in a direct and everyday way.
撃破するgekihasuru: To defeat an enemy or opposing force through a powerful attack.
打ち負かすuchimakasu: To defeat an opponent decisively through greater strength or skill.
破るyaburu: To defeat an opponent, team, or side in a contest or conflict.

Definition in Japanese

敵を攻めて打ち負かす。teki o se me te u chi ma ka su

Word origin

討つ (utsu, "to attack and defeat") comes from the native verb 打つ (utsu, "to strike"); its meaning developed toward attacking and defeating an enemy, while 打つ retains the broader sense of striking.

Usage tips

  • In historical narratives, 討つ (utsu) often gives the act of defeating an enemy a formal or literary tone rather than the everyday tone of 倒す (taosu, "to bring down").

Other meanings

  • attackverb
  • avengeverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word