陥れる

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 陥れる, read おとしいれる, means putting someone in a difficult position or an unfavorable state.
• Basic usage: Use it for trapping someone with false evidence or causing confusion through a careless remark.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The person and the state
  • In the example 主人公を窮地に陥れた, を marks the affected person, and に marks the resulting predicament.
• Intransitive and transitive
  • 陥る describes falling into a bad state, while 陥れる describes putting someone into one.
• A risk, not an accomplished event
  • The second example's 恐れがある means there is a risk or concern that something may happen. It does not state that the confusion has already occurred.