Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 殺す | korosu | [ko̞ɾo̞sɨ] (narrow) |
| 殺害する | satsugai suru |
The term refers to the act of putting something or someone to death. While 殺す is the standard verb, you might encounter 殺害する when discussing murder as a criminal act. In slang, the prefix ぶっ- is added to form ぶっ殺す, which expresses a much more violent, aggressive or threatening intent to kill. If you mean to defeat or beat an opponent in a colloquial sense, the expression やっつける can be used instead.
Which one should you use?
The verb 殺す is the standard, everyday way to say 'to kill' used in both casual speech and general narrative. In contrast, 殺害する is more formal and is typically used in news reports or legal contexts to describe the act of murder or killing a person. Additionally, ぶっ殺す is a vulgar slang term used to add a sense of intense violence to the action.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
korosu
Did you know?
- In Japanese, 殺す is used for things that aren't alive, such as 音を殺す to 'kill' or dampen a sound and 光を殺す to 'kill' a light.
- The word 殺す can be used in the context of fashion or makeup to describe a 'muted' or 'subdued' look, often referred to as 殺した色.
- The aggressive slang form ぶっ殺す is so violent that it is often used in manga and anime to characterize 'tough guy' archetypes, but using it in real-life conversation is considered extremely socially deviant.
Examples in context
- 汝殺すなかれ。Thou shalt not kill.This sentence uses 殺す to express a prohibition.Tatoeba #695927 by arihato, translation #694330 by shanghainese
- 殺すしかない。We have no choice but to kill.This sentence uses 殺す to express necessity.Tatoeba #4780839 by Nihonjinn, translation #4781024 by Ishao
- この野郎、ぶっ殺すぞ！You bastard, I'll kill you!This sentence uses 殺す in a highly aggressive, threatening manner.Tatoeba #2409479 by tommy_san, translation #2592809 by WestofEden
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a horror movie they just watched.
- 美咲 Misakiあの映画、犯人が人を殺すシーンが怖かった。Ano eiga, hannin ga hito o korosu shiin ga kowakatta.In that movie, the scene where the criminal kills someone was scary.
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね。殺す方法がすごく残酷だったよ。Sou da ne. Korosu houhou ga sugoku zankoku datta yo.True. The way he killed them was really cruel.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太君は、そういう映画は得意なの？Youta-kun wa, sou iu eiga wa tokui na no?Youta, are you good with those kinds of movies?
- 陽太 Yotaいや、僕も見てる時は緊張するよ。Iya, boku mo miteru toki wa kinchou suru yo.No, I get nervous watching them too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kill” translations and entries 殺す, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
