1.
to spill; to drop
To accidentally cause liquid or small items to fall out of a container.
コーヒーを零してしまった。
I spilled the coffee.
涙を零しながら話した。
She spoke while shedding tears.
子供がジュースを零して服が汚れた。
The child spilled juice and got their clothes dirty.
2.
to complain; to grumble
To express dissatisfaction, often repeatedly.
彼はいつも愚痴を零している。
He's always complaining.
仕事がつらいと弱音を零した。
He let slip that work was hard.
給料が安いと零してばかりいる。
He does nothing but complain that the salary is low.
零す is a transitive verb (他動詞) with both literal and figurative meanings.
INTRANSITIVE PAIR: 零れる (to spill, overflow)
- 零す: I spill water.
- 零れる: Water spills.
ASPECT (ている):
零している can mean currently spilling or habitually complaining.
PARTICLE PATTERNS:
- [liquid]を零す — to spill [liquid]
- 愚痴を零す — to complain, grumble
- 涙を零す — to shed tears
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 水を零す (spill water)
- 食べ物を零す (drop food)
- 愚痴を零す (complain, grumble)
- 弱音を零す (show weakness, complain about hardship)
OFTEN IN HIRAGANA:
Both 零す and こぼす are common. The kanji is the same as "zero" but has this separate native reading.