斬きる

き

る

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

斬る · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	斬きる	斬きらない
Polite	斬きります	斬きりません
Past polite	斬きりました	斬きりませんでした
Past	斬きった	斬きらなかった
Te-form	斬きって	斬きらないで
Desire	斬きりたい	斬きりたくない
Potential	斬きれる	斬きれない
Passive	斬きられる	斬きられない
Causative	斬きらせる	斬きらせない
Causative passive	斬きらせられるalso 斬きらされる	斬きらせられないalso 斬きらされない
Volitional	斬きろう
Polite volitional	斬きりましょう
Imperative	斬きれ	斬きるな
Conditional	斬きれば	斬きらなければ
Tara conditional	斬きったら	斬きらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), transitive verb

kill with a blade; slice off; lop off

Used for killing a person or animal with a sword, knife, or similar bladed weapon, or for slicing/lopping off a body part or object with a decisive cutting motion. Stronger and more violent than 切る.

侍さむらいが敵てきを斬きった。
The samurai killed his enemy with his sword.
彼かれは刀かたなで相あい手ての腕うでを斬きり落おとした。
He sliced off his opponent's arm with a katana.

See all 23 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉を斬きるto cut down/kill a person with a blade
武ぶ士しは敵てきを斬きった。
The samurai cut down his enemy.
刀かたなで〈人ひと・物もの〉を斬きるto cut someone/something with a sword
彼かれは刀かたなで相あい手てを斬きった。
He struck his opponent down with his sword.
〈物もの〉〉を真まっ二ぷたつに斬きるto slice something clean in two
剣けん士しは木きの枝えだを真まっ二ぷたつに斬きった。
The swordsman sliced the branch clean in two.
首くびを斬きるto behead someone
処しょ刑けい人にんは罪ざい人にんの首くびを斬きった。
The executioner beheaded the criminal.

Expressions

泣ないて馬ば謖しょくを斬きるpunishing someone you love to uphold the rules; being just before one is generous

Kanji

斬beheading, kill, murder

Related words

切きるN5
切る is the general, everyday verb for cutting or severing almost anything, while 斬る is reserved for killing or slicing violently with a blade, often in historical or dramatic contexts.
討うつN2
討つ means to slay or strike down an enemy (with any weapon, including swords), whereas 斬る specifically describes the cutting motion of a blade doing the killing.
斬ざん殺さつ
斬殺する is a formal, written term meaning to kill by cutting with a blade, while 斬る is the plain verb used in narrative or spoken description of the same act.

Don't confuse with

切きるN5
斬る shares the reading きる with 切る but specifically evokes slashing or killing with a blade, while 切る is the general everyday spelling for cutting.

Word family· 10

辻つじ斬ぎり
tsujigiri; killing a passerby with a sword to test the blade or one's skill
人ひと斬きり
assassination; assassin; murderer
なで斬ぎり
slashing with the blade pressed against the object · mowing down enemies; clean sweep; sweeping conquest
延えん髄ずい斬ぎり
enzuigiri; back-of-the-head strike
斬きり合あい
crossing swords; sword fight; cutting each other

Show 5 more

百ひゃく人にん斬ぎり
slaying 100 enemies with a sword · sleeping with 100 people; having sex with countless partners
袈け裟さ斬ぎり
diagonal slash from the shoulder
試ためし斬ぎり
sword testing; trying out a new blade
メッタ斬ぎり
hacking to pieces; slashing wildly
斬きりかかる
slash at; stab at; assault with a sword

Etymology

The kanji 斬 combines 車 (vehicle) and 斤 (axe), suggesting cutting with a heavy blade. The reading きる is native Japanese and shared with 切る, but 斬る is specialized for slashing or killing with a blade.