Translation guide
The English phrase "go down" covers many meanings, from physical descent to decrease, failure, and even swallowing. This guide breaks down the most useful Japanese equivalents by intended meaning.
To descend physically, such as going down stairs, a hill, or from a higher place to a lower one.
Used for getting off a vehicle, descending stairs, or coming down from a high place. Focuses on the action of moving downward.
Often used for going down a slope, river, or road. Implies moving along a downward path.
Intransitive; means to move backward, step down, or hang down. Not used for actively descending stairs.
To become lower in number, price, temperature, volume, etc.
Intransitive; used for prices, temperature, quality, etc. dropping.
To lose a game, battle, or competition; to be beaten.
Standard verb for losing a match, game, or fight.
To be written down, recorded, or go down in history.
Literally 'remain in history'; used for events that go down in history.
To ingest something, often with difficulty or medicine.
To sink below the horizon.
Used for the sun or moon setting.
To become quieter, dimmer, or less intense.
To go to a place, often southward or to a downtown area.
Simply 'go to ~'. The 'down' part is often omitted in Japanese unless direction is emphasized.
I'm going down to the convenience store
English 'go down' is highly idiomatic. Avoid directly translating 'go' + 'down' into 行く + 下. Instead, choose the specific Japanese verb that matches the intended meaning.
下がる (intransitive) means something goes down by itself (price drops). 下げる (transitive) means someone lowers something (I lower the price).
For medicine or food, 飲み込む is the standard. 喉を通る is often used in negative form when something is hard to swallow.
go down the hill
go down the river
step back (go down one step)
the temperature goes down
prices went down
Transitive; to lower something (price, volume, etc.).
lower the price (make it go down)
Intransitive; to decrease in quantity or number.
my weight went down
Formal; used for decline in ability, quality, or economic indicators.
productivity went down
we went down in the match
More formal/literary for being defeated.
went down to the enemy
that day went down in history
To jot down, note down.
I wrote down his words
General verb for swallowing.
I swallowed the medicine (it went down)
Literally 'pass through the throat'; used when something is hard to swallow.
it won't go down (I can't swallow it)
太陽が沈む
the sun goes down
the volume went down
If you need to emphasize downward or southward movement, use 下る (くだる) or 南へ行く.
go down south