攻め入る

• Reading: せめいる
• Romaji: semeiro
• Kanji breakdown: 攻 (seme) — to attack, assault; 入 (i) — to enter
• Pronunciation: /se.me.i.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To invade; to attack; to charge into. To enter enemy territory or a place aggressively in an offensive manoeuvre.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb combining 攻める (to attack, assault) and 入る (to enter). 攻め入る emphasises the act of penetrating into enemy space — 敵地に攻め入る (to invade enemy territory), 城に攻め入る (to storm a castle). It is used in historical and military contexts, and figuratively in competitive sports or business to describe bold offensive moves into rival territory.

Examples

1. 戦国時代の武将は隣国に攻め入るタイミングを慎重に計った。 Warlords of the Sengoku period calculated carefully the right moment to invade a neighbouring domain.
2. チームは後半開始直後から相手陣内に攻め入り、立て続けに得点を奪った。 From the very start of the second half, the team drove into the opponent's half and scored in quick succession.
3. 競合他社の強固な市場に攻め入るには、差別化された戦略が必要だ。 Breaking into a rival company's well-defended market requires a clearly differentiated strategy.

Usage Guide

Context: history, military, sports, business strategy, games

Tone: assertive, competitive

Origin & History

Compound of 攻める (seme-ru — to attack, assault; from 攻, depicting a tool used to strike a fortress) and 入る (i-ru/hai-ru — to enter). The combination precisely captures the military concept of breaking through a boundary into hostile territory.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical-Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal