倒れる

• Reading: たおれる
• Romaji: taoreru
• Kanji breakdown: 倒 (tou/tao) — fall, collapse, overthrow
• Pronunciation: /ta.o.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To fall down; to collapse; to break down. Describes something or someone falling over or collapsing.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb. The transitive pair is 倒す (taosu, to knock down). Used for trees falling, people fainting or collapsing from illness or exhaustion, buildings falling, and businesses going bankrupt. A serious word often heard in news and medical contexts.

Examples

1. 台風で大きな木が倒れました。 A large tree fell in the typhoon.
2. 祖父が急に倒れて病院に運ばれた。 My grandfather suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
3. 働きすぎて倒れないように休んでください。 Please take breaks so you don't collapse from overwork.

Usage Guide

Context: health, disasters, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

The kanji 倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到 (arrive, reach). Originally described a person falling to the ground — arriving at the earth.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal