How to say "beat" in Japanese

• ぶつJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFor the physical sense of beating — hitting or striking a person. A plain, direct verb for landing blows on someone, usually written in kana alone.
  ぶたれて耳鳴みみなりがした。↗

  My ears were ringing from being beaten.
• 叩くたたくJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers striking, hitting, beating and knocking. Think of striking something — knocking on a door, beating on a surface — though it also serves for hitting a person.
  見知みしらぬ人ひとが玄関げんかんのドアをしきりにたたいた。↗

  A stranger beat urgently at the front door.
• 殴るなぐるJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe word for beating a person: to punch, hit or strike someone. Choose it when 'beat' means violence against a person, as in a fight.
  ジョージは彼かれの腹はらを殴なぐった。↗

  George hit him in the stomach.
• やっつけるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbHere 'beat' means to defeat: beating an opponent or enemy, finishing something off, doing away with it. It is not the verb for physically striking someone.
  我々われわれはたくさんの敵てきをやっつけた。↗

  We defeated various enemies.
• 鼓動こどうCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun, not a verb: the beat, pulsation or throbbing of the heart. Reach for it when 'beat' means a heartbeat, as in feeling one's heart pound.
  心臓しんぞうが速はやく鼓動こどうしているのを感かんじた。↗

  I felt my heart beating rapidly.

For physical striking, 「ぶつ」 and 「殴る」 are about hitting a person while 「叩く」 also covers knocking and striking things; 「やっつける」 means to defeat, and 鼓動 is the noun for a heartbeat.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ぶつto hit (someone)
• 叩くたたくto strike
• 殴るなぐるto strike
• やっつけるto beat
• 鼓動こどうbeat
• 打つうつto hit
• 鳴らすならすto ring
• ビートbeat
• 拍はくbeat
• 泡立てるあわだてるto beat (e.g. eggs)
• タクトbeat
• 溶きほぐすときほぐすto beat (eggs)
• 鼓するこするto beat (a drum)
• 割り解すわりほぐすto beat (e.g. egg)
• 参らせるまいらせるto beat
• ぶっ叩くぶったたくto beat
• 鼓すこすto beat (a drum)
• いてまうto beat
• 掻き立てるかきたてるto stir up
• 打ち鳴らすうちならすto ring (a bell)
• どやすto hit
• 敗るやぶるto defeat
• 土をつけるつちをつけるto defeat
• 倒すたおすto kill
• 破るやぶるto defeat
• 拍子ひょうしbeat
• 溶くとくto scramble (eggs)
• 打ち取るうちとるto defeat (an opponent)
• なぎ倒すなぎたおすto defeat
• ひしぐto overpower
• 打ち付けるうちつけるto bang (e.g. one's head)
• しばくto hit
• 下すくだすto beat
• きれるto be short of
• ひねるto defeat easily
• 唸りうなりbeat (acoustic interference)