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凶弾に倒れる (きょうだんにたおれる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

凶きょう弾だんに倒たおれる

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

be shot dead by an assassin; fall to an assassin's bullet

Fixed expression used in news or historical accounts when a prominent figure is killed by gunfire from an assassin.

その政せい治じ家かは凶きょう弾だんに倒たおれた。
The politician was shot dead by an assassin.
彼かれは若わかくして凶きょう弾だんに倒たおれた。
He fell to an assassin's bullet at a young age.

Written forms

凶きょう弾だんに倒たおれる
Standard kanji spelling for this fixed expression.
凶きょう弾だんに斃たおれる
Rare variant using the older kanji 斃れる for 'fall' or 'die'; mostly seen in literary or historical contexts.

Kanji

凶villain, evil, bad luck
弾bullet, twang, flip
倒overthrow, fall, collapse
斃kill, die violent death

Similar words

暗あん殺さつされる
A more general term for 'to be assassinated', not limited to shooting. 凶弾に倒れる specifically implies being killed by a gunshot from an assassin.
射しゃ殺さつされる
Means 'to be shot to death', but does not carry the assassin nuance. 凶弾に倒れる is a set phrase for assassination by gunfire.

Etymology

Compound of 凶弾 (assassin's bullet) + に + 倒れる (to fall, collapse). The phrase is a fixed expression meaning 'to fall to an assassin's bullet'.