屈服

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 屈服 is a noun and irregular intransitive verb read くっぷく, meaning surrender or submission under force or pressure.
• Basic usage: Use 脅しに屈服する for yielding to threats and 力による屈服 for submission produced by force.
  • 村人たちは脅しに屈服しなかった。 says that the villagers did not surrender to the threats; 力による屈服では本当の信頼は得られない。 says that submission by force cannot produce genuine trust.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 脅しに屈服する
  • に marks the pressure or party to which someone submits.
• 屈服しなかった
  • The past negative makes clear that the villagers did not actually yield.
• 力による屈服では
  • による marks force as the means, and では limits the claim to submission obtained in that way.