Japanese

とどめを

とどめをさす
Meaning: to give the finishing blow, to finish off
Part of Speech: Verb, Phrase, Idiom

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Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present とどめを刺す とどめを刺さない
Polite とどめを刺します とどめを刺しません
Past とどめを刺した とどめを刺さなかった
Polite + Past とどめを刺しました とどめを刺しませんでした
Te-form とどめを刺して とどめを刺さなくて
Potential とどめを刺せる とどめを刺せない
Passive とどめを刺される とどめを刺されない
Causative とどめを刺させる とどめを刺させない
Imperative とどめを刺せ とどめを刺すな

Handwriting

と
ど
め
を
刺
す

Example

He gave the opponent the finishing blow with the final strike.

Usage Notes

Originally meant to deliver a final lethal strike to a dying opponent. Now used metaphorically to mean completing a task or deciding a victory.

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