Alright, let's talk about 枯らす (karasu) and some common traps learners fall into. This verb means 'to let wither' or 'to kill (plants),' and it's transitive. That last part is key – transitive means it needs a direct object. You *do* the action to something.
§ Mistake 1: Confusing 枯らす (karasu) with 枯れる (kareru)
This is probably the most frequent mistake. Both relate to plants dying, but they're different types of verbs.
- DEFINITION
- 枯れる (kareru): To wither, to die (plants) (intransitive).
See the difference? 枯れる is intransitive. The plant withers *by itself*. No external agent is doing the withering.
Compare these examples:
水やりを忘れて、植物を枯らしてしまった。
Translation hint: I forgot to water and let the plant wither/killed the plant. (I *did* the action of letting it wither.)
水不足で植物が枯れてしまった。
Translation hint: Due to lack of water, the plant withered/died. (The plant withered *by itself*.)
Notice the particles: with 枯らす, you'll often see を (o) indicating the direct object. With 枯れる, you'll see が (ga) for the subject.
§ Mistake 2: Using 枯らす for non-plant things
While you might 'kill' a project or 'let a skill die' in English, 枯らす is almost exclusively for plants. It's about literally causing something to wither or dry up.
You wouldn't say:
夢を枯らす。(Incorrect use for 'dream')
Translation hint: To let a dream wither. (Sounds very unnatural in Japanese.)
Instead, for things like dreams, skills, or opportunities, you'd use other verbs like 諦める (akirameru - to give up), 駄目にする (dame ni suru - to ruin), or 無駄にする (muda ni suru - to waste).
§ Mistake 3: Overlooking nuanced contexts
While 'to let wither' or 'to kill plants' is the main meaning, sometimes it can imply neglect leading to that state.
- If you say 花を枯らす (hana o karasu), it clearly means you let the flowers die.
- You might also hear 涙を枯らす (namida o karasu), which means to cry until one has no more tears, or 'to dry up one's tears.' This is a more figurative, idiomatic usage, but it still connects to the idea of 'drying up.'
彼女は悲しみで涙を枯らした。
Translation hint: She cried until her tears dried up (due to sadness).
The main takeaway: 枯らす is a transitive verb for plants. If a plant dies by itself, use 枯れる. If you're doing the 'killing' or 'withering,' use 枯らす. Stick to plants for this word, unless you're using a specific idiom.
사용법
枯らす (karasu) is a transitive verb, meaning it directly acts upon an object. It describes the action of causing something, typically plants, to wither or die. You would use it when you are the one responsible for the plant withering. For example, if you forgot to water your plant and it died, you would use 枯らす. It’s often used in the context of unintentional neglect, but can also be used if someone deliberately kills a plant.
A common mistake is confusing 枯らす (transitive) with 枯れる (kareru), which is an intransitive verb meaning 'to wither' or 'to die (plants).' 枯れる describes the state of a plant withering on its own, without a direct agent causing it. For instance, if a plant withers due to old age or a natural disease, you'd use 枯れる. If you say 「植物が枯らした」 (shokubutsu ga karashita), it would imply the plant itself caused something else to wither, which is incorrect. Instead, you'd say 「私が植物を枯らした」 (watashi ga shokubutsu o karashita - I let the plant wither) or 「植物が枯れた」 (shokubutsu ga kareta - The plant withered).
셀프 테스트 12 질문
You forgot to water your houseplant and it died. Write a sentence in Japanese explaining what happened.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
水をやらなくて、植物を枯らしてしまいました。
You are talking about the dry weather. Write a sentence saying that the lack of rain will kill the crops.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
雨が降らないと、作物を枯らしてしまいます。
Write a short sentence in Japanese about what happens if you don't take care of a plant.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
植物の世話をしないと、枯らしてしまう。
子供たちはなぜ木に水をあげていましたか？
Read this passage:
公園で、子供たちが木に水をあげていました。水をあげないと、木は枯れてしまいます。彼らは木が枯れないように、一生懸命水をあげていました。
子供たちはなぜ木に水をあげていましたか？
水をあげないと木が枯れるため、子供たちは木が枯れないように水をあげていました。
水をあげないと木が枯れるため、子供たちは木が枯れないように水をあげていました。
この文で、「枯らしてしまいます」は何を意味しますか？
Read this passage:
夏はとても暑くて、雨が少ないです。庭の花が水をやらなくて、枯れそうになっています。早く水をあげないと、全部枯らしてしまいます。
この文で、「枯らしてしまいます」は何を意味しますか？
「枯らしてしまう」は、植物を死なせてしまうという意味です。
「枯らしてしまう」は、植物を死なせてしまうという意味です。
話し手はなぜ新しい植物に毎日水をあげていますか？
Read this passage:
新しい植物を買いました。毎日水をあげて、枯らさないように気をつけています。前の植物は水を忘れて、枯らしてしまいましたから。
話し手はなぜ新しい植物に毎日水をあげていますか？
話し手は前の植物を枯らしてしまったので、新しい植物は枯らさないように毎日水をあげています。
話し手は前の植物を枯らしてしまったので、新しい植物は枯らさないように毎日水をあげています。
This sentence describes how a lack of water caused crops to wither. '水不足で' means 'due to lack of water', '作物が' means 'crops (subject)', and '枯れてしまった' means 'withered and unfortunately so'.
This sentence means 'If you don't pour affection (into it), any plant has the possibility of withering.' '愛情を注がなければ' is 'if you don't give affection', 'どんな植物も' is 'any plant', and '枯らす可能性がある' is 'there's a possibility of withering'.
This sentence conveys that 'If you neglect care, even beautiful flowers will quickly wither.' '手入れを怠ると' means 'if you neglect care', '美しい花も' means 'even beautiful flowers', and 'すぐに枯れてしまう' means 'will quickly wither'.
/ 12 correct
Perfect score!
예시
水をやりすぎると植物を枯らしてしまうことがある。
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