also: あだをうつ
expression, godan verb (-tsu)
avenge someone by killing their killer
Used in historical or dramatic contexts for exacting revenge on behalf of a slain person, typically a family member or lord.
彼は父の仇を討つために旅に出た。
He set out on a journey to avenge his father by killing his murderer.
Standard kanji spelling for the reading かたきをうつ.
Rare reading; 仇 is normally read かたき in this expression.
Alternate kanji spelling; 敵 can also be read てき, so this form may be ambiguous.
復讐する is a general term for revenge, while 仇を討つ specifically means avenging someone by killing their killer, often in a historical or dramatic context.
Compound of 仇 (かたき, 'enemy, foe') + を + 討つ (うつ, 'to strike down, to kill'). The expression is rooted in the historical concept of katakiuchi (仇討ち), a sanctioned revenge killing.