転ぶ

• Reading: ころぶ
• Romaji: korobu
• Kanji breakdown: 転 (ten/koro) — turn, roll, fall, tumble
• Pronunciation: /ko.ɾo.bɯ/

Meaning

To fall down; to fall over; to tumble. Used when a person trips, slips, or loses their footing.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the ぶ row. Specifically describes a person falling down (not objects falling). Often used with ～て転ぶ patterns: 滑って転ぶ (to slip and fall), つまずいて転ぶ (to stumble and fall). Related: 転がる (to roll), 転ける (to stumble, more casual). The て-form 転んで is extremely common.

Examples

1. 雨で道が滑りやすくて転んでしまった。 The road was slippery from the rain and I fell down.
2. 子どもが走っていて石につまずいて転んだ。 A child was running and tripped on a rock and fell.
3. 転んで膝を擦りむいてしまった。 I fell and scraped my knee.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, children, accidents

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 転 combines 車 (vehicle/wheel) and 云 (cloud, used phonetically), originally depicting a wheel turning. The meaning extended from 'rolling' to 'falling over.'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal