Japanese symbol for “topple”

In Japanese, topple is 倒れる, read たおれる (taoreru).

Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.

Meanings

1. v1, vi to fall (over, down); to collapse; to take a fall; to topple
2. v1, vi to be destroyed (in a collapse); to collapse; to cave in; to crumble; to give away
3. v1, vi to be confined to bed (with an illness); to come down with; to break down (e.g. from overwork)
4. v1, vi to die; to be killed
5. v1, vi to go bankrupt (of a company, bank, etc.); to fail; to collapse; to go under
6. v1, vi to be defeated (in a game); to lose

Written forms: 倒れる、斃れる、仆れる、殪れる. Readings: たおれる.

Kanji and stroke order

↻ Replay stroke order

Other Japanese words for “topple”

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

See also: Chinese symbol for “topple”.

Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.