下る To Descend

Meaning

Primary

To Descend

Alternative

To Go Down

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji means below, so you can guess the direction this movement verb takes: this is to descend, or to go down.

As a movement verb, it usually describes a gradual downward movement. For example, you'd use this verb to describe walking down a mountain, driving down a hill, or going down a river in a boat.

Reading

くだる

Explanation

This verb uses the exceptional reading that 下さい also uses. So just replace the さい with る and you're good to go!

Context

Common Word Combinations

• 〜を下る

  山を下る

  to go down the mountain

  川を下る

  to go down the river

  来た道を下る

  to go back the way one came

• 〜に下る

  エジプトに下る

  to go down to Egypt

  ジグザグに下る

  to descend in a zigzag manner

  南に下る

  to head south

Context Sentences

あとはそのまま来た道を下るだけだ。

After that, we just go back down the way we came.

スケボーに乗った男が山を下っていった。

A man riding a skateboard zoomed down the mountain.

日本では、北に行くことを「上る」、南に行くことを「下る」と言うことがあります。

In Japan, there is a concept of referring to going north as "ascending" and going south as "descending."

Kanji Composition

1. 下

   か Below