How to say "lose" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 負けるまけるichidan verb, intransitive verbCovers losing a contest, game, match, or fight — being defeated or beaten by an opponent. This is the word for losing in competition, not for losing objects or money.３対０で彼には負けています。↗He's beating me, three to zip.
- 失ううしなうgodan verb, transitive verbLosing something you had and value, whether concrete or abstract: a job, a friend, hope, confidence. The emphasis is on the loss of something important, not on defeat or misplacement.
- godan verb, transitive verbLosing an object so that it is gone or cannot be found — keys, a wallet, an umbrella. The lost thing is typically a physical item you were carrying or keeping.
- 落とすおとすgodan verb, transitive verbPrimarily means to drop or let fall something; the 'lose' sense is essentially dropping an object so that it is lost. For losing games, possessions, or money, another word is usually the better choice.彼は花瓶を落とした。↗He dropped a vase.
- 損するそんするsuru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbLosing in the sense of suffering a loss: losing money on a deal, or missing out on an opportunity and ending up worse off. About disadvantage or cost, not defeat or misplacement.
Use 「負ける」 for losing contests, 「失う」 for losing something valued, 「なくす」 for losing an object, 「損する」 for losing money or missing out, and 「落とす」 mainly for dropping things.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 負けるまけるto lose
- 失ううしなうto lose
- なくすto lose (something)
- 落とすおとすto drop
- 損するそんするto lose (money, etc.)
- 逸するいっするto lose (a chance)
- 亡くすなくすto lose (through death; e.g. a wife, child)
- 逃すのがすto miss (e.g. a chance)
- 失するしっするto lose
- 敗れるやぶれるto be defeated
- 無くなすなくなすto lose (something)
- 亡くなすなくなすto lose (a wife, child, etc.)
- 逸すいっすto lose (a chance)
- 星を落とすほしをおとすto lose
- 土がつくつちがつくto lose
- 落っことすおっことすto drop
- 棒に振るぼうにふるto waste
- 別れるわかれるto lose (e.g. one's mother)
- 溶かすとかすto lose (money; through gambling, etc.)
- 逃がすにがすto miss (e.g. a chance)
- 切らすきらすto be out of (e.g. breath)
- まくto shake off (a pursuer, companion, etc.)
- ロストto lose (something)
- 落っこちるおっこちるto fail (an exam)
- すり潰すすりつぶすto dissipate (a fortune)
- 落っこるおっこるto fail (an exam)
- 落ちるおちるto fail (an exam)
- すべるto lose (a position)
- 倒れるたおれるto be defeated (in a game)
- 凹むへこむto suffer a loss
See also
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