This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

石けんは泥を落とすのに役立つ。

Sentence Analyzer

石けん 落とす 役立つ

English Translation

Soap helps remove the dirt.

Furigana

(せっ)けんは(どろ)()とすのに役立(やくだ)つ。

Romanji

Sekken wa doro o otosu no ni yakudatsu.

Words

石鹸 (せっけん)
soap
()
topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
(どろ)
mud; slush; (wet) dirt; mire; thief
()
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
落とす (おとす)
to drop; to lose; to let fall; to shed (light); to cast (one's gaze); to pour in (liquid); to leave behind; to clean off (dirt, makeup, paint, etc.); to remove (e.g. stains or facial hair); to lose; to spend money at a certain place; to omit; to leave out; to secretly let escape; to lose (a match); to reject (an applicant); to fail (a course); to defeat (in an election); to lower (e.g. shoulders or voice); to lessen (e.g. production or body weight); to worsen (quality); to reduce (e.g. rank or popularity); to speak badly of; to make light of; to fall into straitened circumstances; to fall into (e.g. a dilemma or sin); to make one's own; to have one's bid accepted; to force surrender; to take (e.g. an enemy camp or castle); to forcefully convince; to press for a confession; to deal with; to download; to copy from a computer to another medium; to make someone swoon (judo); to finish a story (e.g. with the punch line); to finish (a period, e.g. of fasting)
()
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
()
at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although
役立つ (やくだつ)
to be useful; to be helpful; to serve the purpose

Kanji

Readings: セキ、 シャク、 コク、 いし
Meaning: stone
Readings: デイ、 ナイ、 デ、 ニ、 どろ
Meanings: mud, mire, adhere to, be attached to
Readings: ラク、 お.ちる、 お.ち、 お.とす
Meanings: fall, drop, come down, village, hamlet
Readings: ヤク、 エキ
Meanings: duty, war, campaign, drafted labor, office, service, role
Readings: リツ、 リュウ、 リットル、 た.つ、 -た.つ、 た.ち-、 た.てる、 -た.てる、 た.て-、 たて-、 -た.て、 -だ.て、 -だ.てる
Meanings: stand up, rise, set up, erect