倒す
taosu[ta̠o̞sɨ]
The Japanese verb for to slay is 倒す (taosu).
The verb 倒す is used when you are slaying an enemy or a foe. In modern informal contexts, slang terms like キメる can be used to convey the idea of 'slaying' when someone looks particularly stylish or makes a powerful impression, while ヤバい can be used to express that something is 'amazing' or 'insane'.
Meaning: to kill, murder (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
倒す (taosu) literally means 'to knock down' or 'to fell', such as felling a tree or knocking down an opponent.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between 倒す and 殺す. While 倒す implies defeating or knocking down an opponent (slaying), 殺す is a more direct and blunt way to say 'to kill' or 'to murder' a living being.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the past tense of 'slayed' or 'defeated', use the form 倒した.
How do you pronounce it?
taosu
Did you know?
- While 倒す means 'to slay' or 'to defeat', it is also the standard verb used when you accidentally knock over a vase or a glass of water.
- In Japanese video games, the word 倒す is used as a euphemism for 'killing' monsters to avoid overly violent language that might raise the game's age rating.
- Because 倒す can mean 'to knock down', it is used in many non-violent contexts, such as 'knocking down' a disease or a fever through medicine.
Examples in context
- あのダンサーのキメっぷりがすごい！The way that dancer slays is amazing!
- 友達のファッションセンスがヤバいよ！My friend's fashion sense is slaying, seriously!
- 目の前の敵を倒す。Me no mae no teki o taosu.To slay the enemy before me.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are playing a fantasy video game together.
- 結衣 Yui蓮、あそこにボスがいるよ！Ren, asoko ni bosu ga iru yo!Ren, the boss is over there!
- 蓮 Ren僕が今すぐ倒すよ。Boku ga ima sugu taosu yo.I will slay it right now.
- 結衣 Yui気をつけてね、とても強いから。Ki o tsukete ne, totemo tsuyoi kara.Be careful, because it's very strong.
- 蓮 Ren大丈夫、絶対に倒してみせる！Daijōbu, zettai ni taoshite miseru!It's okay, I'll definitely slay it!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 倒す, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
