The Meaning of tōsō [逃走] In Japanese

逃走
とうそう
Romaji: tōsō N3

What does 逃走 mean?

Translation and Meaning

escape, flight, running away

Definition

What does 逃走 mean? It refers to the act or state of fleeing from pursuit or danger, typically by a person or animal trying to avoid capture or harm.

Type

Noun; can function as a standalone noun and as a suru-verb (逃走する).

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primary meaning: the act of fleeing or escaping from pursuit, often used in news or literary contexts
  • Nuance: emphasizes movement away from danger or confinement rather than a casual departure
  • Common usage: appears in expressions like 逃走する, 逃走中, and describes someone who is on the run

Composition

  • 逃 — to escape, flee
  • 走 — to run
  • Combined meaning: escape by running away from pursuit

Usage

Used as a noun denoting escape; in formal or narrative contexts, it is common in journalism and crime reporting. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer 逃げる for describing escaping from danger or threat. The noun can combine with する to form the verb meaning to escape, and with される in passive constructions to indicate being escaped from.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine the first character 逃 as a cue to escape, paired with 走 which is the act of running; together they visually and semantically map to fleeing by running.

Variations

  • 逃亡 (toubou) — flight or escape, often used in legal or criminal contexts
  • 脱走 (dassou) — escape from confinement or prison
  • 捕まる (tsukamaru) — antonym, to be caught

Example Phrases

  • 警察は今、逃走した犯人を追いかける。
    Keisatsu wa ima, tousou shita hannin o oikakeru.
    The police are currently chasing the escaped suspect.
    Lista:
    • 警察 (keisatsu) – police
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 今 (ima) – now
    • 逃走した (tousou shita) – escaped
    • 犯人 (hannin) – suspect
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 追いかける (oikakeru) – to chase
    Here, 「逃走」 functions as a noun meaning ‘escape’, forming the relative clause 「逃走した犯人」 = ‘the escaped suspect’.
逃走