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A2 verb 7 Min. Lesezeit

けす

kesu

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Erklärung けす in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'kesu' is primarily learned as a command or a simple action related to daily life. Students learn to say 'Denki o keshite kudasai' (Please turn off the light) or 'Terebi o keshimasu' (I will turn off the TV). The focus is on the physical objects in a room and the basic 'te-form' conjugation. At this stage, you don't need to worry about abstract meanings. Just remember that if you want to make the light go away or the TV stop showing pictures, 'kesu' is your word. It is often taught alongside 'tsukeru' (to turn on) as a pair of opposites. You should also recognize it in the context of a classroom where a teacher might erase a blackboard. The kanji '消' might not be required yet, but the hiragana 'けす' is essential for basic survival Japanese.

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At the A2 level, you expand the use of 'kesu' to include 'erasing' pencil marks and 'extinguishing' small fires like a gas stove. You should be comfortable with the past tense 'keshita' and the negative 'kesanai'. For example, 'Keshigomu de machigai o keshimashita' (I erased the mistake with an eraser). You also start to see 'kesu' used with digital devices, like turning off a smartphone. You begin to distinguish 'kesu' from 'kiru' (to cut/turn off) and understand that 'kesu' is a transitive verb, meaning it always takes an object with the particle 'o'. This level also introduces the 'must turn off' grammar like 'kesanakereba narimasen', which is common in safety instructions.

By B1, you are expected to use 'kesu' in more complex sentence structures and in digital contexts. You might say 'Dēta o keshite shimatta' (I accidentally deleted the data). The nuances between 'kesu' and the more formal 'sakujo suru' (to delete) become important. You also encounter 'kesu' in compound verbs or more idiomatic expressions. For instance, 'kehai o kesu' (to suppress one's presence) might appear in stories or manga. You should be able to use 'kesu' to describe removing smells (nioi o kesu) or muffling sounds. The kanji '消' becomes a standard part of your writing vocabulary, and you should recognize it in words like 'shōbōsha' (fire engine) where the '消' (extinguish) radical is used.

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At the B2 level, 'kesu' is used fluently in abstract and figurative senses. You might discuss 'erasing memories' (kioku o kesu) or 'canceling out' a debt in a semi-formal discussion. You understand the passive form 'kesareru' and the causative 'kesaseru'. For example, 'Shōko o kesaseta' (He made someone erase the evidence). You can handle more nuanced synonyms like 'shōkyo suru' (to eliminate/erase) in academic or professional settings. Your understanding of 'kesu' extends to its use in psychological contexts, such as 'erasing' one's anxiety or feelings. You also start to recognize the verb in more sophisticated literature where it might describe the sun 'erasing' the shadows or the wind 'erasing' footsteps on sand.

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At C1, your usage of 'kesu' is indistinguishable from a native speaker. You use it in highly specific collocations and understand its role in classical-influenced modern Japanese. You might use it in legal or technical discussions where 'erasing' a record has significant implications. You are aware of the subtle differences between 'kesu' and 'massatsu suru' (to erase/obliterate completely). You can appreciate the poetic use of 'kesu' in haiku or modern poetry, where it might symbolize death, forgetting, or the fleeting nature of existence. You also understand the verb's role in complex social situations, such as 'erasing' a social faux pas or 'erasing' one's track record to start anew.

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At the C2 level, you possess a mastery over 'kesu' that includes its historical development and its most obscure idiomatic uses. You can discuss the etymology of the kanji '消' (water + resemble) and how it relates to the concept of things dissolving or vanishing. You use the word in philosophical debates about 'nothingness' or the 'erasure' of the self. You can navigate the most formal registers where 'kesu' might be replaced by highly specific Sino-Japanese compounds, yet you know exactly when 'kesu' provides the right emotional or rhythmic weight in a sentence. You are also proficient in using the word in professional editing, law, or high-level computer science contexts where 'erasure' is a precisely defined action.

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けす in 30 Sekunden

Kesu is a versatile verb meaning to turn off, erase, or extinguish.
It is a transitive verb, meaning you need the particle 'o' for the object.
Commonly used for lights, TVs, fires, pencil marks, and digital files.
The te-form is 'keshite', which is essential for making polite requests.

The Japanese verb けす (消す) is a fundamental Godan verb that every learner encounters early in their journey. At its core, it signifies the act of making something disappear or removing its active state. This concept manifests in three primary ways in daily life: physical erasure, extinguishing a flame, or deactivating an electronic device. Understanding the breadth of kesu is essential because English often uses three distinct verbs—'erase,' 'put out,' and 'turn off'—where Japanese uses this single, versatile word.

Physical Removal: In a classroom setting, this is the go-to verb for using an eraser on a whiteboard or paper. If you make a mistake in your notebook, you use a keshigomu (eraser) to kesu the pencil marks. It implies the total removal of a visible trace.
Electrical Deactivation: When leaving a room, you are expected to kesu the lights. This applies to television sets, air conditioners, and computer monitors. While the verb kiru (to cut/turn off) is also used for electronics, kesu focuses on the disappearance of the light or the 'life' of the machine.
Fire and Heat: Safety is paramount in Japanese culture, and hi o kesu (extinguish the fire) is a phrase drilled into everyone. Whether it is a gas stove after cooking or a campfire, kesu is the action of stopping the combustion.

寝る前に必ず電気を消してください。
(Neru mae ni kanarazu denki o keshite kudasai.)
Please be sure to turn off the lights before you go to sleep.

Beyond these physical uses, kesu expands into the digital and abstract realms. Deleting a file from your smartphone or removing a post from social media is described as kesu. In more advanced or literary contexts, it can even refer to 'erasing' one's presence (kehai o kesu) or 'muffling' a sound. It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires an object (marked by the particle o) and an actor to perform the action. In the CEFR A2 level, you should focus on the 'turning off' and 'erasing' aspects, as these are the most frequent in daily conversations and standardized tests like the JLPT N5 and N4.

Using けす (消す) correctly requires an understanding of its conjugation as a Group 1 (Godan) verb ending in '~su'. Because it ends in 'su', its 'te-form' becomes keshite and its 'ta-form' becomes keshita. This is a common point of confusion for beginners who might expect a different ending. Mastery of these forms allows you to give commands, describe past actions, or link multiple actions together.

The Direct Object Particle 'o': Since kesu is transitive, you must specify what is being erased or turned off. The structure is [Object] + を (o) + 消す. For example, 'Terebi o kesu' (Turn off the TV).
Polite vs. Dictionary Form: In daily polite conversation, use keshimasu. For example: 'Kokuban o keshimasu' (I will erase the blackboard). In casual settings with friends, the dictionary form kesu is appropriate: 'Denki kesu ne?' (I'm turning off the light, okay?).

間違えたところを消しゴムで消しました。
(Machigaeta tokoro o keshigomu de keshimashita.)
I erased the mistaken part with an eraser.

One of the most useful patterns for A2 learners is the request form: ~te kudasai. If you are a teacher or a group leader, you might say 'Terebi o keshite kudasai' (Please turn off the TV). Conversely, if you want to ask for permission to turn something off, you would use ~te mo ii desu ka? as in 'Akon o keshite mo ii desu ka?' (May I turn off the air conditioner?).

火を消すのを忘れないでください。
(Hi o kesu no o wasurenaide kudasai.)
Please don't forget to put out the fire.

You will encounter けす in a variety of environments, ranging from the mundane to the urgent. Because it covers so many 'stopping' actions, it is ubiquitous in Japanese society. Here are the most common scenarios where the word is used naturally.

In the Household: Parents constantly tell their children to kesu the lights when leaving a room to save electricity. Before leaving the house, a standard checklist includes 'Gasu no hi o keshita?' (Did you turn off the gas stove?).
In the Office and School: Teachers ask students to kesu the blackboard (kokuban) at the end of a lesson. In an office, you might hear colleagues reminding each other to kesu their computer monitors or the office lights before heading home.
Public Announcements: On trains or in theaters, announcements might request that you kesu your mobile phone's power (though 'dengen o kiru' is also common) or 'kesu' the sound of your device by putting it on manner mode.

「黒板を消してくれますか？」
(“Kokuban o keshite kuremasu ka?”)
“Could you erase the blackboard for me?”

In digital spaces, kesu is the standard term for deleting. If you are watching a Japanese YouTuber or reading a blog post about privacy, you'll hear dēta o kesu (delete data) or rireki o kesu (clear history). It is the action of making digital information vanish forever.

スマホの電源を消してください。
(Sumaho no dengen o keshite kudasai.)
Please turn off your smartphone power.

Even though けす seems straightforward, English speakers often stumble due to the way English categorizes 'erasing' versus 'turning off'. Here are the most frequent pitfalls to avoid.

Confusion with 'Kiru' (To Cut/Turn Off): While both kesu and kiru can mean 'to turn off', kiru literally means 'to cut' (the connection). Kesu focuses on the result—the light or the function disappearing. For lights, kesu is much more common. For engines or phone lines, kiru is preferred. Using kiru for a pencil mark is a major mistake; you must use kesu there.
Mixing up Transitive and Intransitive: Learners often confuse kesu (I erase it) with kieru (It disappears). You cannot say 'Denki ga keshita' to mean 'The light went out.' You must say 'Denki ga kieta.' Conversely, you cannot say 'Watashi ga denki o kieta.' Always remember: Kesu needs a person/actor.

❌ 鉛筆を切ります (Enpitsu o kirimasu - I will cut the pencil)
✅ 鉛筆を消します (Enpitsu o keshimasu - I will erase the pencil marks)

Another mistake is using kesu for 'deleting' a person in a non-violent context. In English, we might say 'erase him from my life,' but in Japanese, this can sound very dramatic or even like a threat of murder in certain contexts. Stick to using it for objects, light, and digital data unless you are writing a noir novel!

To truly master けす, you should know how it compares to other words that share a similar space in the Japanese lexicon. Depending on the formality and the specific object, an alternative might be more appropriate.

Kesu (消す) vs. Kiru (切る): As mentioned, kesu is for making something (light, fire, marks) disappear. Kiru is for 'cutting' power. Use kiru for phone calls (denwa o kiru) and engines. Use kesu for lights and fires.
Kesu (消す) vs. Sakujo-suru (削除する): Sakujo-suru is a more formal, technical term for 'to delete'. While you can use kesu to tell a friend to delete a photo, a computer menu will almost always use sakujo. Use sakujo in professional emails or when discussing database management.
Kesu (消す) vs. Shōkyaku-suru (消却する): This is a very advanced academic term meaning 'to cancel out' or 'to efface' in a legal or financial sense. You won't use this in daily life, but you might see it in business contracts.

データを削除しますか？
(Dēta o sakujo shimasu ka?)
Do you want to delete the data? (Formal/System message)

How Formal Is It?

Wusstest du?

The word 'keshigomu' (eraser) is a hybrid word: 'keshi' from 'kesu' and 'gomu' from the Dutch word for rubber, 'gom'.

Aussprachehilfe

UK /ke.sɯ/

US /keɪ.su/

Japanese has pitch accent rather than stress. In 'kesu', the pitch starts high on 'ke' and drops on 'su' (Atamadaka style).

Reimt sich auf

めす (mesu) なす (nasu) かす (kasu) はす (hasu) きす (kisu) おす (osu) だす (dasu) さす (sasu)

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing 'su' as a loud 'soo' like in 'soup'.
Confusing the pitch accent with 'kisu' (kiss).
Not dropping the pitch on the second syllable.
Over-emphasizing the 'e' sound.
Failing to devoice the 'u' in 'keshite'.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 2/5

The kanji is simple but the hiragana is very common.

Schreiben 3/5

The 'su' ending requires specific Godan conjugation knowledge.

Sprechen 1/5

Very easy to pronounce and use in daily life.

Hören 2/5

Must distinguish from 'kieru' and 'kiru' in fast speech.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

電気 (denki) テレビ (terebi) 火 (hi) を (particle) ください (kudasai)

Als Nächstes lernen

つける (tsukeru) 消える (kieru) 閉める (shimeru) 開ける (akeru) 切る (kiru)

Fortgeschritten

削除 (sakujo) 抹殺 (massatsu) 消去 (shoukyo) 消火 (shouka)

Wichtige Grammatik

Godan Verb Conjugation (~su)

消す -> 消します -> 消して

Transitive Verbs with 'o'

電気を消す (I turn off the light)

Te-form for Requests

消してください

Volitional + to suru

消そうとする (Try to erase)

Potential Form

消せる (Can erase)

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Beispiele nach Niveau

テレビを消してください。

Please turn off the TV.

Verb in te-form + kudasai (polite request).

電気を消します。

I will turn off the light.

Polite present/future tense.

火を消してください。

Please put out the fire.

Object + o + keshite kudasai.

名前を消さないでください。

Please don't erase the name.

Negative te-form + de kudasai (negative request).

ラジオを消しました。

I turned off the radio.

Polite past tense.

エアコンを消してもいいですか？

May I turn off the air conditioner?

te-form + mo ii desu ka (asking permission).

電気を消して寝ます。

I turn off the light and go to sleep.

te-form used to link two actions.

これを消してください。

Please erase this.

Simple demonstrative + object marker.

消しゴムで間違えた字を消しました。

I erased the wrong character with an eraser.

Instrumental particle 'de' (with an eraser).

出かける前にガスを消しましたか？

Did you turn off the gas before going out?

Noun + no mae ni (before doing something).

黒板の字を消しましょうか？

Shall I erase the words on the blackboard?

~mashou ka (offering help).

スマホの電源を消してください。

Please turn off your smartphone power.

Compound noun 'dengen' (power source).

このメールを消してもいいですか？

Is it okay if I delete this email?

Digital context of 'erasing'.

火を消すのを忘れました。

I forgot to put out the fire.

Verb dictionary form + no (nominalization) + o wasureta.

音楽の音を消してください。

Please turn off the sound of the music.

Focusing on 'oto' (sound) as the object.

履歴を消す方法を教えてください。

Please tell me how to clear the history.

Dictionary form + houhou (method of).

間違えて大切なファイルを消してしまった。

I accidentally deleted an important file.

~te shimatta (regret/accidental action).

彼は気配を消して部屋に入ってきた。

He entered the room suppressing his presence.

Idiomatic use: 'kehai o kesu'.

このスプレーは嫌な臭いを消してくれます。

This spray removes unpleasant odors.

~te kureru (benefactive for the speaker).

不安を消すために、音楽を聴きます。

I listen to music to erase my anxiety.

Abstract object: 'fuan' (anxiety).

証拠を消すことはできません。

You cannot erase the evidence.

Abstract object: 'shouko' (evidence).

テレビの音を消して、勉強に集中した。

I muted the TV and concentrated on my studies.

te-form for sequence and cause.

キャンプが終わったら、火を完全に消してください。

When the camping is over, please extinguish the fire completely.

Adverbial use: 'kanzen ni' (completely).

過去の失敗を消したいと思っています。

I want to erase my past failures.

Desiderative form ~tai + to omotte iru.

犯人は指紋を消そうとしましたが、無理でした。

The criminal tried to erase the fingerprints, but it was impossible.

Volitional form + to suru (attempting to do).

そのニュースは人々の記憶から消し去られた。

That news was wiped away from people's memories.

Compound verb 'keshisaru' (to wipe away completely).

彼は自分の存在を消すように静かに暮らしている。

He lives quietly as if to erase his own existence.

Noun + o kesu you ni (as if to...).

騒音を消すために、特別な壁を作った。

In order to cancel out the noise, they built a special wall.

Purpose clause: ~tame ni.

彼女は怒りを消すことができず、泣き出した。

She couldn't suppress her anger and burst into tears.

Abstract usage: 'ikari o kesu'.

この洗剤はどんな汚れもきれいに消してくれます。

This detergent erases any stain beautifully.

Hyperbolic usage in advertising.

彼は自分の足跡を消しながら森を進んだ。

He moved through the forest while erasing his footprints.

Verb stem + nagara (while doing).

デジタルタトゥーは、一度書くと簡単には消せません。

Once written, a digital tattoo cannot be easily erased.

Potential form 'keseru' in the negative.

その法律の改正によって、古い記録は消去された。

With the revision of that law, old records were erased.

Formal passive construction.

光が影を消し、世界が明るくなった。

The light erased the shadows, and the world became bright.

Poetic/Literary usage.

彼は野心を消し、平穏な生活を選んだ。

He extinguished his ambition and chose a peaceful life.

Metaphorical use of 'kesu'.

データの痕跡を完全に消すのは至難の業だ。

Erasing traces of data completely is a Herculean task.

Nominalized phrase as subject.

都会の喧騒が、虫の声を消してしまった。

The hustle and bustle of the city drowned out the sound of the insects.

Sound masking/drowning out.

自尊心を消してまで、彼に従う必要はない。

There is no need to obey him to the point of erasing your self-esteem.

~made (to the extent of).

その一言が、これまでの努力をすべて消してしまった。

That one word wiped out all the effort made so far.

Abstract total negation.

歴史の闇に葬られ、彼の名は消されてしまった。

Buried in the darkness of history, his name was erased.

Passive form 'kesareta' in a historical context.

存在論的な問いの前に、個人の意識は消し去られる。

Before ontological questions, individual consciousness is wiped away.

Philosophical/Academic register.

情報の海の中で、真実は容易に消し込まれてしまう。

In the sea of information, the truth is easily blotted out.

Compound verb 'keshikomu' (to blot out).

彼は自らの業を消すために、巡礼の旅に出た。

In order to erase his karma, he set out on a pilgrimage.

Religious/Spiritual context.

国家権力は、都合の悪い事実を組織的に消しにかかった。

The state power set about systematically erasing inconvenient facts.

Verb stem + ni kakaru (set about doing).

その旋律は、聴く者の雑念をきれいに消し去る力がある。

That melody has the power to cleanly wipe away the listener's idle thoughts.

Psychological/Aesthetic effect.

言葉は発せられた瞬間に消えるが、文字は残る。しかし、それもいつかは消される運命にある。

Words vanish the moment they are spoken, but characters remain. However, they too are destined to be erased someday.

Contrast between 'kieru' and 'kesareru'.

デジタル遺産の消去は、現代社会における新たな倫理的課題である。

The erasure of digital heritage is a new ethical challenge in modern society.

Formal noun 'shoukyo' (erasure) context.

万物は流転し、形あるものはすべていつか消し止められる。

All things are in flux, and all things with form will one day be brought to an end.

Poetic/Philosophical register.

Häufige Kollokationen

電気を消す

火を消す

間違えを消す

テレビを消す

データを消す

気配を消す

履歴を消す

音を消す

姿を消す

足跡を消す

Häufige Phrasen

電気を消して

— Turn off the light. (Casual command)

ねえ、電気を消して。

火の用心、火を消して

— Beware of fire, put it out. (Common safety chant)

夜回りの人が「火を消して」と言う。

消しゴム貸して

— Lend me an eraser. (Classroom phrase)

あ、間違えた。消しゴム貸して。

跡形もなく消す

— To erase without a trace.

証拠を跡形もなく消した。

存在を消す

— To erase one's existence/presence.

彼は社会から存在を消した。

名前を消す

— To remove a name from a list.

名簿から名前を消した。

不安を消し去る

— To wipe away anxiety completely.

彼の言葉が不安を消し去った。

テレビを消し忘れる

— To forget to turn off the TV.

またテレビを消し忘れた。

黒板を消す

— To erase the blackboard.

授業が終わって黒板を消した。

音を消す

— To mute the sound.

広告の音を消す。

Wird oft verwechselt mit

けす vs 切る (kiru)

Kiru is 'to cut'. Use it for phone calls and engines. Use Kesu for lights and fires.

けす vs 消える (kieru)

Kieru is intransitive (it disappears). Kesu is transitive (I erase it).

けす vs 閉める (shimeru)

Shimeru is to close (a door). Kesu is to turn off (a light).

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"気配を消す"

— To make oneself unnoticeable; to suppress one's presence.

彼は気配を消して近づいた。

Common

"姿を消す"

— To disappear; to vanish from sight.

犯人は人混みに姿を消した。

Neutral

"影を消す"

— To hide or make shadows disappear (often used poetically).

太陽が影を消した。

Poetic

"息を消す"

— To hold one's breath to remain undetected.

息を消して様子を伺う。

Literary

"証拠を消す"

— To destroy evidence.

彼は必死に証拠を消した。

Neutral

"記憶を消す"

— To erase memories (often sci-fi or emotional).

嫌な記憶を消したい。

Neutral

"火を消す"

— To settle a dispute (metaphorical).

彼が騒動の火を消した。

Metaphorical

"跡を消す"

— To cover one's tracks.

森の中で足跡を消す。

Neutral

"声を消す"

— To muffle or suppress a voice.

泣き声を消す。

Neutral

"存在感を消す"

— To blend into the background.

彼はパーティーで存在感を消していた。

Informal

Leicht verwechselbar

けす vs 切る

Both can mean 'turn off'.

Kesu is for things that vanish (light, fire). Kiru is for things that are cut off (power, connection).

電気を消す vs 電話を切る

けす vs 消える

Same kanji and similar meaning.

Kesu is an action you do. Kieru is something that happens on its own.

電気を消す vs 電気が消える

けす vs 削る

Sounds similar (kezuru).

Kezuru means to shave or scrape off. Kesu means to erase.

鉛筆を削る vs 字を消す

けす vs 隠す

Both involve something becoming invisible.

Kakusu is to hide (it still exists). Kesu is to erase (it's gone).

本を隠す vs データを消す

けす vs 止める

Both stop a process.

Tomeru is to stop movement. Kesu is to extinguish or deactivate.

車を止める vs テレビを消す

Satzmuster

[Object] を消してください。

テレビを消してください。

[Object] を消しましたか？

火を消しましたか？

[Object] を消してしまいました。

データを消してしまいました。

[Object] を消そうとしたが、...

証拠を消そうとしたが、見つかった。

[Object] が消される。

記録が消される。

[Object] を消してもいいですか？

エアコンを消してもいいですか？

[Object] を消すために、...

音を消すために、ドアを閉めた。

消しゴムで [Object] を消す。

消しゴムで字を消す。

Wortfamilie

Substantive

消しゴム (keshigomu - eraser)

消火 (shouka - firefighting)

消印 (keshiin - postmark)

Verben

消える (kieru - to disappear/intransitive)

消し去る (keshisaru - to wipe away)

消し込む (keshikomu - to blot out)

Verwandt

火 (hi - fire)

電気 (denki - electricity)

黒板 (kokuban - blackboard)

間違い (machigai - mistake)

削除 (sakujo - deletion)

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So verwendest du es

frequency

Extremely frequent in daily spoken and written Japanese.

Häufige Fehler

Denki ga keshita. → Denki o keshita.
You need 'o' because 'kesu' is transitive. 'Ga' would be used with 'kieta'.
Enpitsu o kiru. → Enpitsu (no ato) o kesu.
'Kiru' means to cut the pencil in half. 'Kesu' means to erase the marks.
Doa o keshite kudasai. → Doa o shimete kudasai.
You can't 'erase' a door. You 'close' (shimeru) it.
Keshimasu no wasureta. → Kesu no o wasureta.
Use the dictionary form before 'no' to nominalize the verb.
Terebi o kiete. → Terebi o keshite.
'Kiete' is the te-form of the intransitive 'kier'. You need the transitive 'keshite'.

Tipps

Particle Choice

Always use 'o' with 'kesu'. It is a transitive verb that requires a direct object to act upon.

Opposite Pairs

Learn 'kesu' (turn off) and 'tsukeru' (turn on) together as a pair. It makes memorization much faster.

Household Safety

In Japan, 'Gasu o keshita?' is a very common question before leaving home. Memorize this phrase!

The 'Su' Sound

In 'keshite', the 'u' in 'su' is often whispered or silent. It sounds like 'kesh-te'.

Deleting Photos

If you want to tell a friend to delete a photo, say 'kono shashin keshite'.

Kanji Practice

The kanji 消 has 10 strokes. Practice the water radical correctly to make it look natural.

Classroom Etiquette

Erasing the board is often a student's job. If you want to help, ask 'Kokuban o keshimashou ka?'

Fire Extinguishers

A fire extinguisher is 'shoukakirui'. The 'shou' comes from the same kanji as 'kesu'.

The 'K' Eraser

Imagine a giant letter K erasing a mess. K for Kesu!

Asking Permission

Always use 'keshite mo ii desu ka' when you are in a shared space like an office or classroom.

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of a 'K'ase (Case) where you need to 'S'top (S) something. K-S: Ke-Su. You erase the case or stop the light.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a hand holding a large 'K' shaped eraser rubbing out a fire.

Word Web

Light Fire Mistake TV Data Eraser Delete Stop

Herausforderung

Try to find three things in your room right now that you can 'kesu'. Say the sentence out loud for each: '[Object] o keshimasu'.

Wortherkunft

The verb 'kesu' comes from Old Japanese. The kanji '消' consists of the 'water' radical on the left and a phonetic component on the right that suggests 'resembling' or 'small'.

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: Originally, it meant to make something vanish, specifically through the use of water to put out fire, which explains the water radical.

Japonic

Kultureller Kontext

Be careful when using 'kesu' regarding people; it can imply 'erasing' them from existence (killing or social ostracization).

English speakers often need three verbs (erase, turn off, put out), whereas Japanese only needs 'kesu'.

Fire safety posters in Japanese schools. The 'Delete' button on Japanese keyboards often says 'Sakujo' but is called 'kesu' button. Manga characters 'erasing' their presence before an attack.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

At Home

電気を消す
テレビを消す
ガスを消す
エアコンを消す

At School

黒板を消す
間違いを消す
消しゴムを借りる
答えを消す

With Technology

データを消す
アプリを消す
履歴を消す
写真を消す

Fire Safety

火を消す
タバコを消す
ろうそくを消す
焚き火を消す

Personal/Social

気配を消す
存在を消す
音を消す
連絡先を消す

Gesprächseinstiege

"「部屋を出るとき、電気を消しましたか？」 (Did you turn off the light when you left the room?)"

"「この黒板、消してもいいですか？」 (May I erase this blackboard?)"

"「どうやってスマホの履歴を消すか知っていますか？」 (Do you know how to clear smartphone history?)"

"「間違えたとき、どうやって消しますか？」 (When you make a mistake, how do you erase it?)"

"「寝る前に、いつも何を消しますか？」 (What do you always turn off before going to sleep?)"

Tagebuch-Impulse

今日、消し忘れたものはありますか？ (Was there anything you forgot to turn off today?)

もし過去の記憶を一つ消せるとしたら、何を消しますか？ (If you could erase one memory from the past, what would it be?)

最近、スマホのアプリを消しましたか？なぜですか？ (Did you delete a smartphone app recently? Why?)

火を消すときに気をつけていることは何ですか？ (What do you be careful about when putting out a fire?)

「気配を消す」ことができたら、何をしたいですか？ (If you could 'erase your presence', what would you want to do?)

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Yes, you can use 'kesu' for turning off the monitor or the power, but 'kiru' (dengen o kiru) is also very common. For deleting files, 'kesu' is perfect.

'Kesu' is the everyday word for 'erase' or 'delete'. 'Sakujo' is a formal/technical term used in menus and official documents.

You can say 'oto o kesu' (erase the sound).

No, for closing an app, 'tojiru' or 'shimeru' is better, but 'kesu' can be used if you mean 'removing it from the screen/memory'.

No, you should use the Japanese word 'hi'. 'Hi o kesu'.

It's a combination of 'keshi' (erasing) and 'gomu' (rubber), meaning an eraser.

In very dark slang or crime dramas, it can mean 'to make someone disappear', but do not use it this way in normal conversation!

The te-form is 'keshite'.

It is a Godan verb (Group 1).

Yes, 'nioi o kesu' means to remove or neutralize a smell.

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