討つ・撃つ・伐つ|うつutsu[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
討つ討つ is the most common written form among these variants. It is written with kanji and kana and is a form learners may encounter in writing.
撃つ撃つ is less common than 討つ but more common than 伐つ among these variants. It is written with kanji and kana and is the recommended choice for beginners.
伐つ伐つ is the least common of these variants. It is written with kanji and kana, but beginners should choose 撃つ instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto attack; to destroy; to defeat; to conquer; to avenge
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 討つ（うつ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 討ちます（うちます） |
| Negative (nai) | 討たない（うたない） |
| polite (masen) | 討ちません（うちません） |
| classical zu / nu | 討たず・討たぬ（うたず・うたぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 討った（うった） |
| polite (mashita) | 討ちました（うちました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 討たなかった（うたなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 討ちませんでした（うちませんでした） |
| Te form | 討って（うって） |
| Potential | 討てる（うてる） |
| Passive | 討たれる（うたれる） |
| Causative | 討たせる（うたせる） |
| Causative passive | 討たせられる・討たされる（うたせられる・うたされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 討てば（うてば） |
| tara | 討ったら（うったら） |
| Volitional | 討とう（うとう） |
| polite (mashou) | 討ちましょう（うちましょう） |
| Imperative | 討て（うて） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related放つはなつNeutralTo shoot or let fly — 「矢を放つ」, 「光を放つ」 — leaning written; it also means to set something free, a range 討つ does not have.
- Related発射はっしゃNeutralA noun for launching or firing projectiles, especially rockets and missiles, as in 「ロケットの発射」; no sense of defeating an enemy.
- Related撃つうつNeutralTo shoot with a gun, as in 「拳銃で撃つ」; the focus is on firing a weapon, while 討つ centers on defeating an enemy or taking revenge.
- Related銃撃じゅうげきNeutralA noun for gunning or shooting, as in 「銃撃事件」; typical of news reports, whereas 討つ describes defeating or avenging.
- Related発砲はっぽうNeutralA noun for firing a gun, as in 「警官が発砲した」; mostly news usage — it reports the shot, not the defeat or revenge 討つ implies.
- Related射撃しゃげきNeutralA noun for shooting, as in 「射撃競技」; also the sport of marksmanship — about the act of firing, not conquering an enemy.
- Relatedぶっ放すぶっぱなすCasualColloquial: to let off a gun or cannon suddenly, as in 「銃をぶっ放す」; rougher and cruder than 討つ, which is about defeating an enemy.
- Related射出しゃしゅつWrittenWritten/formal: to eject or jet out, as in 「射出成形」; mostly technical contexts, far from 討つ's sense of striking down an enemy.
- Antonym守るまもるNeutralTo protect or guard; the defensive opposite of 討つ's attacking sense.
- Antonym防ぐふせぐNeutralTo defend against or prevent; stands opposite 討つ as defense against its offense.
Use 「討つ」 for defeating an enemy or taking revenge, as in 「敵を討つ」 and 「仇を討つ」. For shooting a gun pick 「撃つ」, for arrows or light 「放つ」; news reports use 「発砲」 and 「銃撃」. The opposites are 「守る」 and 「防ぐ」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
