奪う
ubau[ɯ̟ba̠ɯ̟]
To rob in Japanese is 奪う (ubau). Wiktionary also lists 奪い取る (ubai-toru) and 略奪する (ryakudatsu suru).
Meaning: to commit robbery (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 奪う | ubau | [ɯ̟ba̠ɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 奪い取る | ubai-toru | |
| 略奪する | ryakudatsu suru |
The verb 奪う is used for both the physical act of taking something by force and the metaphorical act of depriving someone of a quality or state, such as life, sleep or rights.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 奪い取る is a compound where 奪い (the stem of 奪う) means 'to rob/seize' and 取る means 'to take', so it literally means 'to snatch away'.
Which one should you use?
While 奪う can mean to physically rob someone, it is also commonly used abstractly to mean 'to deprive' someone of something non-physical. 略奪する is used specifically for large-scale looting or plundering, such as during a war or a riot, rather than an individual act of robbery.
How do you pronounce it?
ubau
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the phrase 'to rob' is often used in the context of love, where 心を奪われる means 'to have one's heart stolen' by someone they are attracted to.
- The phrase 意識を奪う is used medically and colloquially to mean 'to knock someone unconscious', literally 'robbing' them of their consciousness.
- The phrase 奪い取る is frequently used in literature to describe a protagonist 'snatching' a victory or a prize in a competitive setting.
Examples in context
- 君の怪しい行動を見て謎のままなんて僕の安眠を奪うつもりかい？Leaving your suspicious actions I've seen a mystery – are you trying to rob me of my sleep?This sentence shows how 奪う can be used to describe depriving someone of sleep.Tatoeba #220563 by sugisaki, translation #418627 by blay_paul
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rob” translations and entries 奪う, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
