1.
to strike down; to slay; to defeat in battle
To attack and kill or defeat an enemy, especially in a military or historical context. Often implies righteous punishment or vengeance.
敵を討つ。
To strike down the enemy.
仇を討つために旅に出た。
He set out on a journey to avenge his enemy.
忠臣蔵は主君の仇を討った四十七士の物語だ。
Chushingura is the story of the forty-seven samurai who avenged their lord.
2.
to subjugate; to launch a campaign against
To mount a military expedition to conquer or suppress an enemy force or region.
反乱軍を討つ。
To subjugate the rebel forces.
将軍は大軍を率いて賊を討ちに向かった。
The general led a large army to subjugate the bandits.
朝廷は東国の反乱を討つため、征夷大将軍を任命した。
The imperial court appointed a shogun to subjugate the rebellion in the eastern provinces.
Distinct from the homophones 打つ (to hit, to strike physically) and 撃つ (to shoot). 討つ specifically means to attack and defeat an enemy, often with a connotation of justice or retribution.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 敵を討つ (to strike down the enemy)
- 仇を討つ (to take revenge)
- 賊を討つ (to subjugate bandits)
RELATED WORDS:
- 討伐 — subjugation, punitive expedition
- 仇討ち — revenge, vendetta
- 討論 — debate (different usage of 討)
Primarily used in historical and literary contexts. In modern usage, 仇を討つ survives as a set phrase.