攫(さら)う

さらう
verb (godan)
to kidnap, to snatch away
1. to kidnap, to abduct, to carry off
To seize and carry away a person by force.
子供(こども)が攫(さら)われた。
A child was kidnapped.
鬼(おに)が村(むら)の娘(むすめ)を攫(さら)う話(はなし)。
A story about a demon carrying off a village girl.
昔話(むかしばなし)では、天狗(てんぐ)が人(ひと)を攫(さら)うと言(い)われていた。
In old tales, it was said that tengu would snatch people away.
2. to snatch away, to sweep away
For a natural force such as water or wind to carry something away.
波(なみ)に攫(さら)われた。
I was swept away by a wave.
大雨(おおあめ)で橋(はし)が攫(さら)われた。
The bridge was swept away by heavy rain.
洪水(こうずい)で家(いえ)ごと攫(さら)われる危険(きけん)があった。
There was a danger of being swept away house and all by the flood.

CONJUGATION (godan-u):

  • Negative: 攫(さら)わない
  • Te-form: 攫(さら)って
  • Past: 攫(さら)った
  • Passive: 攫(さら)われる

TRANSITIVITY:
Transitive.

WRITING:
The kanji 攫(さら) is difficult and often written in hiragana as さらう.

DISTINCTION:
Not to be confused with the homophone さらう meaning "to clean out" or "to review" (written as 浚(さら)う).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 波(なみ)に攫(さら)われる: to be swept away by a wave
  • 風(かぜ)に攫(さら)われる: to be carried off by the wind
general
Added 2026.2.8 8:54
10500/10509_sarau