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.
To make someone lose their balance by putting something in their way, often with the foot or leg.
Literally 'hook someone's foot'. The most direct and common way to say trip someone physically.
彼はわざと私の足を引っ掛けた。
He deliberately tripped me up.
Causative form of 'to fall'. Means to make someone fall, often by tripping them.
子供がおもちゃでおばあさんを転ばせてしまった。
The child tripped up the old lady with a toy.
Causative of 'to stumble'. Implies causing someone to trip over an obstacle.
彼は石で私をつまずかせた。
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.
彼はいつも人の揚げ足を取ってばかりいる。
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.
彼女は私の言葉尻を捕らえて、反論した。
She tripped me up by seizing on my choice of words and argued back.
Literally 'trap someone'. Used when deliberately setting up a situation to make someone make a mistake.
検察は証人を罠にかけて自白させた。
The prosecutor tripped up the witness and got a confession.
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.
彼のミスがチーム全体の足を引っ張った。
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.
彼が口を出してきて、私の仕事の邪魔をした。
He butted in and tripped me up in my work.
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.
彼は私の足を引っ掛けた（物理的）が、足を引っ張った（妨害）わけではない。
He tripped me physically, but he didn't hinder my efforts.
予期せぬ問題が計画の進行を妨げた。
Unexpected problems tripped up the progress of the plan.