The Meaning of taosu [倒す] In Japanese

倒す
たおす
Romaji: taosu N5

What does 倒す mean?

Translation and Meaning

to knock down, to defeat, to topple, to overturn, to spill

Definition

倒す means to cause something or someone to fall or be knocked down; it also extends to defeating an opponent or overturning a plan or obstacle, in transitive usage.

Type

Verb (transitive) (動詞・他動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Physical topple or knockdown of an object or person
  • Defeating an opponent in sports, games, or conflict
  • Overturning, thwarting, or defeating a plan, rule, or system
  • Pouring or spilling liquid by knocking it over

Etymology

倒す is formed from 倒 meaning to fall or collapse, combined with the verb する to indicate causation, yielding a transitive sense of making something fall.

Composition

  • 倒: to fall, topple; left radical 亻 (person); right component 到 conveys arriving, hinting at an act that causes something to fall as if someone arrives to intervene
  • す: verb-ending that turns 倒 into a transitive verb form

Usage

As a transitive verb, 倒す takes a direct object marked with を. It is used in casual conversation and in formal writing. Common uses include physical topple (木を倒す), defeating an opponent (敵を倒す), and overthrowing authority (政府を倒す).
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a person (亻) tipping a tall object with a strong push until it falls, and you say you will ‘do’ that action—倒す

Variations

  • 打倒する (doutō suru) — overthrow or defeat in a formal or political context
  • 打ち倒す (uchi-taosu) — to strike down with force
  • 圧倒する (attō suru) — to overwhelm or overpower

Example Phrases

  • 今日は友達と一緒にゲームのボスを倒すのが楽しい。
    Kyou wa tomodachi to issho ni geemu no bosu o taosu no ga tanoshii.
    Today it’s fun to beat the game’s boss.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (kyou wa) – today
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with friends
    • 一緒に (issho ni) – together
    • ゲームの (geemu no) – of the game
    • ボスを (bosu o) – the boss
    • 倒す (taosu) – to defeat
    • のが (no ga) – the act of
    • 楽しい (tanoshii) – fun
    O verbo 「倒す」 means ‘to defeat’; aqui está usado com 「ボスを倒す」 para dizer ‘beat the boss’. 「のが」 nominaliza a frase anterior para ser o sujeito de 「楽しい」.
倒す