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こてんこてん Japanese meaning | Kotomora

こてんこてん

こ

て

ん

こ

て

ん

Meanings

1

adverb

completely beaten; thoroughly defeated; to a pulp

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Onomatopoeic adverb describing a decisive, one-sided defeat or beating. Often used with verbs like やられる, 負ける, or 打ちのめす.

昨日きのうの試し合あいで、相あい手てチームにこてんこてんにやられた。
We were completely beaten by the opposing team in yesterday's game.
議

Written forms

こてんこてんUsage100%
Standard hiragana spelling for this mimetic adverb.
コテンコテン
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in informal writing.

Similar words

ぼろぼろ
ぼろぼろ describes a state of being worn out or falling apart, while こてんこてん emphasizes the thoroughness of a defeat or beating.
完膚かんぷなきまでに
A more formal expression meaning 'so thoroughly that not even a trace remains', used in similar contexts but with a literary tone.

Etymology

A mimetic word (擬態語) whose origin is uncertain. The reduplicated form suggests a sound-symbolic representation of being knocked about or thoroughly handled.

ぎ

論ろん

で

彼かれ

を

こてんこてん

に

打う

ち

負ま

かし

た

。

I thoroughly defeated him in the debate.