Translation guide
The English phrase 'trip someone up' can mean physically causing someone to stumble, or metaphorically catching someone in a mistake or hindering their progress. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for both senses.
He deliberately tripped me up.
Causative form of 'to fall'. Means to make someone fall, often by tripping them.
The child tripped up the old lady with a toy.
Causative of 'to stumble'. Implies causing someone to trip over an obstacle.
He tripped me up with a stone.
To expose someone's error, often through questioning or cleverness, making them look foolish or confused.
Literally 'take the raised foot'. Idiom meaning to find fault with someone's minor mistake or inconsistency, often in an argument.
He's always tripping people up over minor mistakes.
Literally 'catch the end of someone's words'. Means to seize on a slip of the tongue or a poorly chosen word to trip someone up.
Literally 'trap someone'. Used when deliberately setting up a situation to make someone make a mistake.
To cause someone to fail or have difficulty, often by creating obstacles or confusion.
Literally 'pull someone's leg'. Common idiom meaning to hinder someone's efforts or be a drag on them.
His mistake tripped up the whole team.
General verb meaning to obstruct or hinder. Can be used for tripping up plans or progress.
Means to disturb or get in the way. Can be used when someone's actions trip up another person's efforts.
Do not translate 'trip someone up' literally as 旅行させる (to make someone travel) or つまずかせる in all contexts. Use the appropriate idiom for the intended meaning.
足を引っ掛ける is physical tripping, while 足を引っ張る is metaphorical hindrance. Confusing them can lead to misunderstandings.
He tripped me physically, but he didn't hinder my efforts.
She tripped me up by seizing on my choice of words and argued back.
The prosecutor tripped up the witness and got a confession.
Unexpected problems tripped up the progress of the plan.
He butted in and tripped me up in my work.