こぼす

• Reading: こぼす
• Romaji: kobosu
• Pronunciation: /ko.bo.sɯ/

Meaning

To spill; to drop liquid. The act of accidentally or deliberately letting a liquid fall from a container.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the す row. The transitive counterpart of こぼれる (to overflow/spill on its own). Most commonly used for accidentally spilling liquids: コーヒーをこぼす. Also used figuratively: 涙をこぼす (to shed tears), 愚痴をこぼす (to grumble/complain). Usually written in hiragana rather than the kanji 零す.

Examples

1. テーブルの上にジュースをこぼしてしまった。 I accidentally spilled juice on the table.
2. 感動して思わず涙をこぼした。 I was so moved that I couldn't help but shed tears.
3. スープをこぼさないように気をつけて運んだ。 I carried the soup carefully so as not to spill it.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, cooking, emotions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Originally written as 零す, from the kanji 零 (rei/zero), which conveys the idea of something falling or scattering in drops. The hiragana form is now standard in everyday writing.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal