消す|けすkesu[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out; to delete
- godan verb, transitive verbto turn off (a light, TV, heater, etc.); to switch off
- godan verb, transitive verbto extinguish (a fire, candle, etc.); to put out
- godan verb, transitive verbto remove (a smell, pain, etc.); to eliminate; to get rid of; to relieve (pain, anxiety, etc.); to neutralize (poison)
- godan verb, transitive verbto drown out (a sound); to deaden; to absorb; to muffle
- godan verb, transitive verbto kill; to murder; to bump off; to rub out
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 消す（けす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 消します（けします） |
| Negative (nai) | 消さない（けさない） |
| polite (masen) | 消しません（けしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 消さず・消さぬ（けさず・けさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 消した（けした） |
| polite (mashita) | 消しました（けしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 消さなかった（けさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 消しませんでした（けしませんでした） |
| Te form | 消して（けして） |
| Potential | 消せる（けせる） |
| Passive | 消される（けされる） |
| Causative | 消させる（けさせる） |
| Causative passive | 消させられる（けさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 消せば（けせば） |
| tara | 消したら（けしたら） |
| Volitional | 消そう（けそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 消しましょう（けしましょう） |
| Imperative | 消せ（けせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
火が消える
火を消す
消える focuses on the subject itself going out or vanishing (火が消える), while 消す highlights an agent deliberately extinguishing or erasing something (火を消す).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym取り除くとりのぞくNeutralNeutral. Clearing away whatever is in the way, as in 「不安を取り除く」; more colloquial than 「除く」.
- Synonym除去じょきょFormalFormal. Removing obstacles or harmful matter, as in 「汚れを除去する」; leans formal.
- Synonym消去しょうきょNeutralNeutral. Deleting written records or data, as in 「データを消去する」; also the elimination method in maths.
- Synonym絶やすたやすWrittenWritten. Cutting something off or letting it run dry, as in 「火を絶やさない」「笑顔を絶やさない」; usually in the negative.
- Synonym消し去るけしさるNeutralNeutral. Erasing something completely, as in 「記憶を消し去る」; more thorough than 「消す」.
- Synonym拭い取るぬぐいとるWrittenWritten. Wiping stains or sweat off with a cloth; stresses the wiping action and feels more literary than 「消す」.
- Synonym拭き取るふきとるNeutralNeutral. Wiping a stain clean away with paper or cloth, as in 「水をふき取る」; centres on wiping up liquids, not on lights or fires.
- Synonym拭き消すふきけすNeutralNeutral. Wiping written characters or marks away by hand or with a cloth, as in 「黒板の字をふき消す」.
- Synonym拭い去るぬぐいさるWrittenWritten. Wiping something off completely; often figurative for erasing anxiety or impressions, as in 「疑念を拭い去る」.
- Related除くのぞくNeutralNeutral. Removing or excluding, as in 「名簿から除く」; also 「〜を除いて」 for 'except for'.
- RelatedのけるNeutralNeutral. Moving something out of the way, as in 「石をのける」; stresses shifting it elsewhere rather than erasing it.
- Related絶滅ぜつめつWrittenWritten. Extinction of a species or total eradication, as in 「絶滅危惧種」; never for erasing words or turning off lights.
- Related消火しょうかNeutralNeutral. Specifically fighting or extinguishing fires, as in 「消火器」「消火活動」; more formal than 「火を消す」.
- Related外すはずすNeutralNeutral. Taking off or unfastening something attached, as in 「眼鏡を外す」; also leaving one's seat.
- Related削除さくじょWrittenWritten. Deleting part of a text or data, as in 「ファイルを削除する」.
- RelatedなくすNeutralNeutral. Losing something or deliberately doing away with a state, as in 「無駄をなくす」.
- Related剥ぐはぐNeutralNeutral. Peeling or tearing something off a surface, as in 「皮を剥ぐ」; also stripping someone of rights or rank.
- Related取り去るとりさるWrittenWritten. Taking away or removing something in the way; stresses removal and is not used for lights or fires.
- Related消却しょうきゃくFormalFormal. Cancelling or writing off, as in 「株式の消却」; mostly financial. Depreciation is 「減価償却」, not this word.
- Related消除しょうじょWrittenWritten. Deleting or striking a name off a register, as in 「登録を消除する」; typical of administrative documents.
- Related掃滅そうめつWrittenWritten. Wiping out enemies or pests completely; carries a military flavour.
- AntonymつけるCasualColloquial. The opposite of 「消す」 for lights: switching appliances on or lighting a fire, as in 「電気を点ける」.
Default to 「消す」 for turning off lights or fires and erasing writing. For wiping off stains use 「拭き取る」; for deleting data 「削除」 or 「消去」; for removing obstacles 「取り除く」 or 「除去」; the formal term for putting out fires is 「消火」; to switch on, use 「点ける」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
