覆す|くつがえすkutsugaesu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto overturn; to capsize; to upset
- godan verb, transitive verbto overthrow (government etc.)
- godan verb, transitive verbto reverse (decision etc.); to disprove (an established theory etc.); to overrule
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 覆す（くつがえす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 覆します（くつがえします） |
| Negative (nai) | 覆さない（くつがえさない） |
| polite (masen) | 覆しません（くつがえしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 覆さず・覆さぬ（くつがえさず・くつがえさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 覆した（くつがえした） |
| polite (mashita) | 覆しました（くつがえしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 覆さなかった（くつがえさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 覆しませんでした（くつがえしませんでした） |
| Te form | 覆して（くつがえして） |
| Potential | 覆せる（くつがえせる） |
| Passive | 覆される（くつがえされる） |
| Causative | 覆させる（くつがえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 覆させられる（くつがえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 覆せば（くつがえせば） |
| tara | 覆したら（くつがえしたら） |
| Volitional | 覆そう（くつがえそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 覆しましょう（くつがえしましょう） |
| Imperative | 覆せ（くつがえせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
船が覆る
船を覆す
覆る is intransitive and takes が, presenting the boat as the subject that overturns; 覆す is transitive and takes を, presenting an agent as overturning the boat.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym転覆てんぷくWrittenWritten/formal prose: mostly a noun — boats or vehicles capsizing, a government being overthrown. 「覆す」 is a transitive verb, also used for theories and verdicts.
- Synonym打倒だとうWrittenWritten/formal prose: bringing down an enemy or regime, often as a slogan like 「〜打倒」. 「覆す」 also applies to established theories and verdicts.
- Synonymひっくり返すひっくりかえすCasualColloquial: turning or knocking things over, also overturning decisions. 「覆す」 is more written, mainly for overturning established theories, verdicts and regimes.
- Synonym傾覆けいふくWrittenWritten/formal prose and rare: capsizing or overturning. In everyday speech use 「転覆」 or 「ひっくり返す」 instead.
- Synonym翻倒ほんとうWrittenWritten/formal prose but rare: turning something upside down. Say 「ひっくり返す」 in everyday speech.
- Related逆転ぎゃくてんNeutralNeutral: a situation turning around, a comeback from behind, as in 「逆転勝ち」. 「覆す」 stresses overturning an established conclusion or decision.
- Related倒すたおすNeutralNeutral: pushing something over, defeating someone, overthrowing a regime. 「覆す」 focuses on flipping an established judgment or situation.
- Related反転はんてんNeutralNeutral: flipping direction, reversing a photo negative to positive, a market rebounding. 「覆す」 stresses overthrowing an established conclusion.
- Related裏返すうらがえすNeutralNeutral: turning something front to back or inside out, like clothes or paper. Not used for overturning verdicts or theories.
- Related翻すひるがえすWrittenWritten/formal prose, transitive: making a flag flutter or flipping something over, and changing one's mind or retracting one's words, as in 「前言を翻す」「旗を翻す」.
- Related倒置とうちWrittenWritten/formal prose: placing something upside down, or grammatical inversion. 「覆す」 can also mean to upset or capsize, but its focus is overturning.
- Related転かすこかすCasualColloquial or dialectal: knocking things or people over; it can also mean hiding something. Not used for overturning verdicts or theories.
- Related打ち倒すうちたおすWrittenWritten/formal prose: knocking an opponent down or defeating them completely. 「覆す」 does not target people; it overturns judgments and situations.
- Antonym確立かくりつWrittenWritten/formal prose: firmly establishing a system or theory — the opposite of 「覆す」, which overturns what is already established.
Use 「覆す」 to overturn established theories, verdicts or predictions. In colloquial speech, turning things over is 「ひっくり返す」; a situation turning around is 「逆転」; boats or vehicles capsizing is 「転覆」; taking back your words is 「翻す」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
