Common word› JLPT N2 › Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation 討つ · godan verb (-tsu)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 討う つ 討う たない Polite 討う ちます 討う ちません Past polite 討う ちました 討う ちませんでした Past 討う った 討う たなかった Te-form 討う って 討う たないで Desire 討う ちたい 討う ちたくない Potential 討う てる 討う てない Passive 討う たれる 討う たれない Causative 討う たせる 討う たせない Causative passive 討う たせられる also 討う たされる 討う たせられない also 討う たされない Volitional 討う とう Polite volitional 討う ちましょう Imperative 討う て 討う つな Conditional 討う てば 討う たなければ Tara conditional 討う ったら 討う たなかったら
Expressions 仇かたき を 討う つ avenge someone by killing their killer 江え 戸ど の 敵かたき を 長なが 崎さき で 討う つ to take revenge in an unexpected place or context; to hit someone where they least expect it Kanji 討 chastise, attack, defeat Related words 攻める is the general verb for 'to attack' or 'invade', while 討つ specifically implies defeating or avenging an enemy, often with a punitive nuance.
倒す broadly means 'to knock down' or 'defeat' in any context, whereas 討つ is reserved for subduing or avenging an enemy, often in a military or historical setting.
滅ぼす means 'to destroy' or 'to wipe out' a group or nation entirely, while 討つ focuses on the act of defeating or killing a specific enemy or target.
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.
討つ is used for striking down an enemy or game in a more classical or martial register, while 仕留める emphasizes the decisive, clean finish of the kill.
Don't confuse with 打つ (same reading うつ ) means 'to hit or strike' in general, while 討つ specifically means to defeat or kill an enemy, often for revenge.
撃つ (same reading うつ ) means 'to shoot' with a weapon, whereas 討つ refers more broadly to defeating or avenging an enemy, not necessarily by shooting.
Word family· 18 killing a would-be avenger · having the tables turned; being beaten at one's own game
attacking a fleeing enemy; mopping-up attack · adding insult to injury; rubbing salt into a wound; piling on
death in battle; killed in action
revenge; vengeance; retaliation
revenge; vengeance; retaliation
Show 10 more Show fewer storming; attack; raid
friends shooting one another; friendly fire among friends
night attack
attack under cover of darkness · surprise attack; sneak attack
execution on a feudal lord's command
friendly fire; accidental killing of allies · internecine strife; infighting among allies
killing of a commoner by a samurai for disrespect
storm; raid; attack
surprise attack; sneak attack; foul play
slay; kill; put to the sword
See all 18 in Explore →
Written forms 討う つ
Primary kanji for attacking, defeating, or avenging an enemy. High priority.
撃う つ
Also used for shooting or striking, but 討つ is more common for the 'attack/defeat' sense.
伐う つ
Rare variant; primarily seen in historical or literary contexts for cutting down or subduing.
Etymology The kanji 討 is composed of 言 (word) and 寸 (measure), originally meaning 'to interrogate' or 'to investigate', which extended to 'to attack' or 'to subdue'. The verb うつ is native Japanese with the core meaning of striking, and the kanji 討つ specializes it for attacking enemies.
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