Japanese word

転ぶ

Pronunciation

Romajikorobu

Meaning

  • verbfall down

Example

道で転びました。michi de koro bi ma shi ta

I fell down in the street.

Illustration for 転ぶ (fall down)

More examples

走ると、よく転びます。hashi ru to yo ku koro bi ma su

I often fall down when I run.

子どもが石につまずいて転びました。ko do mo ga ishi ni tsu ma zu i te koro bi ma shi ta

The child tripped over a stone and fell down.

Core concept

Presents a loss of upright balance that ends with the body down rather than standing.

Common phrases

  • 前に転ぶmae ni koro bu

    fall forward

  • 後ろに転ぶushi ro ni koro bu

    fall backward

  • 雪道で転ぶsetsu dō de koro bu

    fall on a snowy road

Similar words

倒れるtaoreru: To lose an upright position and fall to the ground or floor.
転倒するtentōsuru: To fall over and end up on the ground, often after losing balance.

Definition in Japanese

つまずくなどして、立った姿勢から地面に倒れる。tsu ma zu ku na do shi te ta tta shi sei ka ra ji men ni tao re ru

Word origin

転ぶ (korobu) is a native Japanese verb rather than a modern loanword, and its older form ころふ (korofu) already expressed the act of falling or rolling.

Usage tips

  • Japanese speakers can use 転ぶ (korobu) for a child who falls while running, while an object that simply drops is more naturally described with 落ちる (ochiru).

Other meanings

  • fall oververb

Opposites

Related words

  • 転び方korobikataway of fallingnoun

Word lists with this word