逃す
Meaning in Englishto let loose, to set free, to let escape
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
What does 逃す mean? It means to miss or let slip away something or someone, especially opportunities, chances, or hopes, by not acting in time or by failing to catch or grasp it. In everyday Japanese, it describes not taking advantage of an opportunity or allowing something to escape from one's grasp; it can apply to chances, outcomes, or people.
Main meanings
- Miss an opportunity or chance, especially a favorable one.
- Let someone or something escape or slip away physically.
- Fail to seize a desired outcome or result due to hesitation or delay.
How to use it
Used with を to mark the direct object that escapes or is missed, commonly with opportunities like 機会を逃す or チャンスを逃す; in formal writing it appears in business or reporting, while in casual speech it remains natural; the verb implies a failure to grasp rather than deliberate release; related verb 逃がす covers a related nuance of letting go rather than letting slip.
Variants and close terms
- 取り逃す (torinogasu) — to miss catching
- 見逃す (minogasu) — to overlook or fail to notice
- 失う (ushinau) — to lose something tangible or intangible
Composition
- 逃 – run away, escape
- す – verb suffix forming a transitive verb
Etymology
From the kanji 逃 combined with the verb ending す, forming a transitive verb whose core sense is to cause something to escape or slip away.
Word class
verb (godan, 五段動詞)