枯らす

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 枯らす is read as からす and means causing a plant to wither or figuratively draining motivation or energy.
• Basic usage: It is transitive, covering both causing a plant to die and exhausting a person’s creative drive.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Causing a plant to wither
  • 鉢植えを枯らす means that failing to water the potted plant caused it to wither. Example: 水をやり忘れて鉢植えを枯らしてしまった。
• Draining creative motivation
  • 創作意欲を枯らす figuratively means that harsh criticism can exhaust a young person’s desire to create. Example: 厳しい批判が若者の創作意欲を枯らすこともある。