命取(いのちと)り

いのちとり
noun
fatal, fatal mistake
descriptive
1. fatal, deadly, ruinous
Something that leads to death, destruction, or ruin. Literally means "life-taker." Often used figuratively to describe a critical mistake or flaw that leads to someone's downfall.
その油断(ゆだん)が命取(いのちと)りになった。
That carelessness proved fatal.
たった一(ひと)つのミスが命取(いのちと)りになることもある。
Even a single mistake can prove fatal.
不祥事(ふしょうじ)の隠蔽(いんぺい)が政治家(せいじか)にとって命取(いのちと)りになった。
The cover-up of the scandal proved ruinous for the politician.

Usage

Almost always appears in the pattern ～が命取(いのちと)りになる (~ proved fatal/ruinous). Can be literal (leading to actual death) but is more commonly figurative, referring to career-ending mistakes, business failures, or critical errors in competition.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.2.19 22:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
12000/12043_inochitori