敵討ち・敵討・仇討ち・かたき討ち|かたきうちkatakiuchi[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
敵討ちThis is the most common form and the recommended choice for beginners. It is written with kanji and kana.
敵討Less common than 敵討ち, this kanji-only variant is an alternative written form that learners may encounter.
仇討ちLess common than 敵討ち and 敵討, this kanji-and-kana variant is another spelling to recognize.
かたき討ちThis is the least common of the four forms. It is another kanji-and-kana spelling that learners may encounter as a variant.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbvengeance; revenge; retaliation
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 敵討ちする（かたきうちする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 敵討ちします（かたきうちします） |
| Negative (nai) | 敵討ちしない（かたきうちしない） |
| polite (masen) | 敵討ちしません（かたきうちしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 敵討ちせず・敵討ちせぬ（かたきうちせず・かたきうちせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 敵討ちした（かたきうちした） |
| polite (mashita) | 敵討ちしました（かたきうちしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 敵討ちしなかった（かたきうちしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 敵討ちしませんでした（かたきうちしませんでした） |
| Te form | 敵討ちして（かたきうちして） |
| Potential | 敵討ちできる（かたきうちできる） |
| Passive | 敵討ちされる（かたきうちされる） |
| Causative | 敵討ちさせる（かたきうちさせる） |
| Causative passive | 敵討ちさせられる（かたきうちさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 敵討ちすれば（かたきうちすれば） |
| tara | 敵討ちしたら（かたきうちしたら） |
| Volitional | 敵討ちしよう（かたきうちしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 敵討ちしましょう（かたきうちしましょう） |
| Imperative | 敵討ちしろ（かたきうちしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym復讐ふくしゅうNeutralThe neutral, general word for revenge in speech and writing; it can target any wrongdoer, wider than 「敵討ち」, which targets the foe who harmed oneself or one's kin.
- Synonym仇討ちあだうちWrittenA written-style near-twin of 「敵討ち」: avenging a murdered lord or family member. Almost synonymous with the headword.
- Synonym報復ほうふくWrittenWritten-flavoured word for retaliation; works for individuals and for states or organizations alike, as in 「報復措置」.
- Synonym仕返ししかえしCasualColloquial payback after being bullied or wronged; the everyday word. 「敵討ち」 usually means taking revenge on one's foe to settle a deep grudge.
- Synonym意趣返しいしゅがえしWrittenRare, written-style word for settling a personal grudge; the nuance is venting one's resentment.
- SynonymリベンジCasualColloquial loanword: beating an opponent you lost to before, mainly in sports or games.
- Synonym意趣晴らしいしゅばらしWrittenRare, written-style word for venting a grudge through revenge — getting the hatred off one's chest.
- Related雪辱せつじょくWrittenWritten-style word for wiping out a defeat by beating the opponent who beat you; no killing of an enemy involved.
- Relatedお返しおかえしCasualColloquial and broad in sense: chiefly returning a gift or favour, but also payback for a wrong.
- Related報いるむくいるWrittenWritten-style verb: to repay or recompense, and by extension to take revenge.
- Related返報へんぽうWrittenWritten-style word for requital — returning good for good or evil for evil.
- Relatedしっぺ返ししっぺがえしCasualColloquial 'tit for tat': hitting back immediately at what was done to you.
- Related報うむくうWrittenSame meaning as 「報いる」 — to repay or avenge — as in 「恩に報う」; used less often than 「報いる」.
- Related仕返すしかえすCasualColloquial verb for paying someone back in kind. 「敵討ち」 is a noun, typically for revenge taken on one's foe to settle a grudge.
- Antonym恩返しおんがえしNeutralAntonym: repaying a kindness or debt of gratitude — the opposite of 「敵討ち」's revenge.
- Antonym許しゆるしNeutralAntonym: forgiveness or pardon — letting the wrongdoer go instead of taking revenge.
Use 「敵討ち」 for taking revenge on the foe who wronged you or your family, as in 「父の敵討ち」 (avenging one's father); figuratively, getting even on someone else's behalf. For revenge in general say 「復讐」, for everyday payback 「仕返し」, for a rematch win 「リベンジ」. 「恩返し」 is the opposite.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
