道連(みちづ)れ

みちづれ
noun
traveling companion; taking someone down with one
1. traveling companion; fellow traveler
A person who accompanies someone on a journey or travels along the same road.
旅(たび)の道連(みちづ)れができた。
I found a traveling companion for the trip.
一人(ひとり)よりも道連(みちづ)れがいると心強(こころづよ)い。
Having a companion is more reassuring than being alone.
見知(みし)らぬ人(ひと)と道連(みちづ)れになり、楽(たの)しい旅(たび)になった。
I ended up traveling with a stranger, and it turned into an enjoyable trip.
2. taking someone down with one; dragging others into one's fate
Forcing someone to share in one's own misfortune or downfall. Often used in the expression 道連れにする.
敵(てき)を道連(みちづ)れにする。
To take the enemy down with one.
自分(じぶん)だけでなく仲間(なかま)まで道連(みちづ)れにしてしまった。
I ended up dragging not only myself but my companions down with me.
会社(かいしゃ)が倒産(とうさん)し、関連(かんれん)企業(きぎょう)も道連(みちづ)れになった。
When the company went bankrupt, its affiliated companies were dragged down with it.

The proverb 旅(たび)は道連(みちづ)れ世(よ)は情(なさ)け ("a journey needs a companion, life needs compassion") is well known and reflects the original positive sense of the word.

Common collocations

  • 道連(みちづ)れにする (to take someone down with one)
  • 道連(みちづ)れになる (to be dragged into someone's fate)
  • 旅(たび)の道連(みちづ)れ (traveling companion)

Usage

Sense 2 is more commonly encountered in modern Japanese. The pattern ～を道連(みちづ)れにする means to force someone to share one's fate, typically a negative outcome. This usage appears frequently in news and dramatic contexts.

general
Added 2026.3.3 21:44 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
14500/14780_michizure