Sample Sentences with 止めを刺す

止めを刺す (todome o sasu: to put an end to; finish by a stab in the neck)     finishing blow + to stab

Here’s a sentence with a literal application of this term:

ライオンが獲物に一撃で止めを刺した。
Raion ga emono ni ichigeki de todome o sashita.
The lion put an end to his prey with one stroke.

獲物 (emono: game; spoils; trophy)
     to seize + thing
一撃 (ichigeki: blow, hit, poke)     one + strike

A few weeks ago, we saw several kanji with the yomi of GEKI. Here we find yet another.

People often use 止めを刺す metaphorically in discussing sports:

松本の７回のホームランは相手に止めを刺した。
Matsumoto no nana-kai no hōmuran wa aite ni todome o sashita.
Matsumoto’s homerun in the seventh inning put an end to the game.

松本 (Matsumoto: family name)
     pine tree + origin
７回 (nana-kai: seventh)
     7 + counter for number of times
相手 (aite: opponent (sports, etc.))
     each other + performer of an action

The term also pops up in other contexts:

その女性との写真の公開は彼の政治生命に止めを刺した。
Sono josei to no shashin no kōkai wa kare no seiji-seimei ni todome o sashita.
The publication of the photo of him with the woman put an end to his political career.

女性 (josei: woman; female)
     woman + quality
写真 (shashin: photograph)
     to portray + reality
公開 (kōkai: open to the public)
     public + to open
彼 (kare: he)
政治生命 (seiji-seimei: political career)

政治 (seiji: politics)
     political administration +
     government
生命 (seimei: life)     life + life

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