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.
その日は歴史に残る日となった
that day went 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.
コンビニに行ってくる
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
川を下る
go down the river
一歩下がる
step back (go down one step)
Transitive; to lower something (price, volume, etc.).
値段を下げる
lower the price (make it go down)
Intransitive; to decrease in quantity or number.
体重が減った
my weight went down
Formal; used for decline in ability, quality, or economic indicators.
生産性が低下した
productivity went down
we went down in the match
More formal/literary for being defeated.
敵に敗れた
went down to the enemy
To jot down, note down.
彼の言葉を書き留めた
I wrote down his words
General verb for swallowing.
薬を飲み込んだ
I swallowed the medicine (it went down)
Literally 'pass through the throat'; used when something is hard to swallow.
喉を通らない
it won't go down (I can't swallow it)
the sun goes down
To weaken, diminish.
風が弱まった
the wind went down
If you need to emphasize downward or southward movement, use 下る (くだる) or 南へ行く.
南へ下る
go down south