Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Throw" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "throw", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
倒す
たおす (taosu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
かなぐり捨てる
かなぐりすてる (kanaguri suteru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "throw" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 倒す and かなぐり捨てる.
In Japanese, 倒す (たおす (taosu)) is typically associated with "to throw down, to knock over, to defeat" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Transitive verb. Can mean to cause something to fall over.
On the other hand, かなぐり捨てる (かなぐりすてる (kanaguri suteru)) maps to "to throw away; to cast aside; to fling off (forcefully or completely)" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents To forcefully or completely discard something, often something abstract like shame, pride, or hesitation.. A literal translation of "throw" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "倒す"
風が強くて木が倒れてしまいました。
The wind was strong, and the tree fell over. (倒れる - intransitive. 倒す is transitive)
Bilingual Context for "かなぐり捨てる"
彼はプライドをかなぐり捨てて、助けを求めた。
He cast aside his pride and asked for help.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "風が強くて木が倒れてしまいました。" (Meaning: "The wind was strong, and the tree fell over. (倒れる - intransitive. 倒す is transitive)")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "倒す" fits here because it means "to throw down, to knock over, to defeat" in the context of: "The wind was strong, and the tree fell over. (倒れる - intransitive. 倒す is transitive)". "かなぐり捨てる" represents "to throw away; to cast aside; to fling off (forcefully or completely)".