落とす

• Reading: おとす
• Romaji: otosu
• Kanji breakdown: 落 (raku/o) — fall, drop, lose
• Pronunciation: /o.to.sɯ/

Meaning

To drop; to let fall; to lose. The transitive form of letting something fall or removing something.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. The intransitive pair is 落ちる (ochiru, to fall). Used for physically dropping objects, losing items, removing stains (汚れを落とす), and lowering volume or speed. Also used figuratively for failing someone on an exam.

Examples

1. 電車の中で財布を落としてしまった。 I dropped my wallet on the train.
2. この洗剤で服の汚れが簡単に落とせます。 This detergent makes it easy to remove stains from clothes.
3. スマホを落としたら画面が割れました。 I dropped my phone and the screen cracked.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, cleaning, accidents

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 落 combines 艹 (grass) with 洛 (water flowing down). Depicts leaves or water falling downward. The す ending makes it transitive — causing something to fall.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal