殺す

• Reading: ころす
• Romaji: korosu
• Kanji breakdown: 殺 (satsu/setsu/koro) — kill, murder, suppress
• Pronunciation: /ko.ɾo.sɯ/

Meaning

To kill; to put to death. Used for both literal and figurative contexts of ending life or suppressing something.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the す row. Beyond the literal meaning, has many figurative uses: 時間を殺す (to kill time), 声を殺す (to stifle one's voice), 気持ちを殺す (to suppress one's feelings). The passive form 殺される (to be killed) is very common. Appears frequently in mystery fiction, news, and everyday expressions.

Examples

1. 殺虫剤で蚊を殺すのはあまり好きではない。 I'm not really a fan of killing mosquitoes with insecticide.
2. 彼女は声を殺して泣いていた。 She was crying with her voice stifled.
3. この小説では最初の章で主人公が殺される。 In this novel, the main character is killed in the first chapter.

Usage Guide

Context: news, literature, daily expressions

Tone: serious

Origin & History

The kanji 殺 combines 殳 (shu, a weapon/striking tool) and phonetic elements. Originally depicted striking with a weapon, evolving to the general meaning of killing or destroying.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal