襲う|おそうosou[0]heiban (flat)

1. godan verb, transitive verbto attack; to assail; to make an assault; to strike; to hunt down
   奇妙きみょうな病気びょうきが町まちを襲おそった。↗

   A curious disease struck the town.
2. godan verb, transitive verbto succeed (someone in a post, role, etc.)
   小泉こいずみ氏しが総理大臣そうりだいじんとして森もり氏しの後あとを襲おそった。↗

   Mr Koizumi succeeded Mr Mori as prime minister.
3. godan verb, transitive verbto make a sudden visit

• Synonym攻撃こうげきNeutralA noun for attack, including verbal attacks; 「襲う」 stresses a sudden strike, and its subject can also be a disaster.
• Synonym襲撃しゅうげきWrittenA noun for a surprise attack, common in crime and military reporting; 「襲う」 is the everyday verb.
• Synonym攻めるせめるNeutralLaunching an attack in a game or war; 「襲う」 stresses striking by surprise, catching the target off guard.
• Synonym強襲きょうしゅうWrittenA written-style noun for a fierce assault, mainly military or sports; 「襲う」 stresses the surprise element.
• Synonym来襲らいしゅうWrittenA noun for an incoming attack, as of an enemy or typhoon, mostly in news reports; 「襲う」 is a verb and also covers anxiety assailing or succession.
• Synonym襲いかかるおそいかかるNeutralPounces or lunges at the target, stressing the springing motion; 「襲う」 is broader and can also describe disasters striking or succession.
• Related暴行ぼうこうWrittenA noun for an act of violence, also a euphemism for sexual assault, common in reports; 「襲う」 stresses sudden attack, and can take a disaster as subject.
• Related乱暴らんぼうNeutralRoughness or violence, also sexual violence; 「襲う」 stresses launching a sudden attack.
• Related犯すおかすNeutralCommitting a crime or breaking a rule, also sexual violation; 「襲う」 stresses a sudden attack.
• Related強姦ごうかんWrittenA blunt written-style noun for rape, mostly in reports and formal prose; 「襲う」 is a general word for attack, with sexual assault only one sense.
• RelatedレイプNeutralA loanword for rape; 「襲う」 is a general verb for attacking.
• Related陵辱りょうじょくWrittenA written-style noun for humiliation or outrage, also sexual violation; 「襲う」 focuses on the act of attacking.
• Related辱めるはずかしめるWrittenTo shame or disgrace someone, also to sexually violate; 「襲う」 stresses the attacking motion.
• Related姦するかんするWrittenA rare written-style word for illicit sex or sexual violation; unlike the general attacking sense of 「襲う」.
• Antonym守るまもるNeutralTo protect or guard — the opposite of 「襲う」's sudden attack.

Use 「襲う」 for sudden attacks, disasters striking, or anxiety assailing, as in 「台風が襲う」「不安に襲われる」. For pouncing, say 「襲いかかる」; for nouns, 「襲撃」 or 「攻撃」; for launching an attack, 「攻める」; for protecting, 「守る」.

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

1. 不意ふいに攻せめかかる、襲撃しゅうげきする。交合こうごうを強しいる。
2. 風雨ふうう・地震じしんなどが到来とうらいする、又または、到来とうらいし被害ひがいをもたらす、襲来しゅうらい・来襲らいしゅうする。
3. 痛いたみや吐き気はきけといった体調たいちょうの悪わるさや眠気ねむけや便意べんい尿意にょういといった抗こうし難がたい生理的せいりてき欲求よっきゅうが人ひとに急きゅうに激はげしく感かんじられるようになる。
4. 不安ふあんや怒いかりといった消極的しょうきょくてきな心情しんじょうやあきらめることのできない願望がんぼうなどが、ある人ひとの心持こころもちを占しめる。
5. 地位ちい・家系かけいなどを受け継うけつぐ、世襲せしゅうする。踏襲とうしゅうする。