Translation guide
The English phrase 'mowing down' can refer to cutting vegetation or, more commonly, to killing or defeating many people or things quickly and violently. This guide covers both literal and figurative uses.
To cut down grass, crops, or plants with a tool or machine.
General verb for cutting grass, crops, or hair. Often used for mowing lawns or harvesting.
I mowed the lawn on the weekend.
To reap or cut down, often used for harvesting crops or mowing large areas. Can also be used figuratively.
農家が麦を刈り取っている。
The farmer is reaping the wheat.
Literally 'do grass cutting'. A common way to say 'mow the lawn' or 'cut weeds'.
今日は草刈りをしなければならない。
I have to mow the lawn today.
To kill or destroy a large number of people or things in a violent, sweeping manner, often with gunfire or other weapons.
Literally 'mow down', used for both physically knocking people over and figuratively defeating many opponents. Common in action contexts.
兵士たちは敵を次々となぎ倒した。
The soldiers mowed down the enemy one after another.
To mop up or wipe out, often used in military contexts for eliminating remaining forces.
特殊部隊がテロリストを掃討した。
The special forces mowed down the terrorists.
To kill everyone; massacre. Stronger and more explicit than 'mow down', but conveys a similar sweeping destruction.
侵略者は村人を皆殺しにした。
The invaders mowed down the villagers.
To defeat many opponents easily and quickly, as in a competition.
To overwhelm or overpower. Commonly used when one team or player easily defeats others.
そのチームは相手を圧倒した。
That team mowed down their opponents.
To scatter or rout; literally 'kick and scatter'. Used for easily defeating multiple opponents.
彼は予選で対戦相手を蹴散らした。
He mowed down his opponents in the preliminaries.
The literal meaning of 'mowing down' (cutting grass) is not the most common usage in English. In Japanese, 刈る is only for cutting plants; do not use it for killing people. Use なぎ倒す or other violent terms for the figurative sense.