Why is there a し in 嫉妬し蹴落とそうとする?


Hi I found a sentence earlier with 嫉妬し蹴落とそうとする and I do not know why し is put
there. Anyway, I thought it was the reasoning marker but it does not sound
like it from the audio and I don't know what 蹴落とそうとする means. I got a rough
translation meaning 'to kick' but I might be wrong. This sentence was from
oregairu season 1 ep. 1 when someone was basically criticizing the mc.

弱くて醜くて すぐに嫉妬し蹴落とそうとする




> [嫉妬]{しっと}し [蹴落]{けお}とそうとする

The し in 嫉妬し is the continuative form (連用形) of する. In other words, 嫉妬し is the
continuative form (連用形) of 嫉妬する, "envy, be jealous".

The continuative form of a verb/adjective can function as a conjunction to
connect verb/adjectival phrases or sentences. Your sentence can be rephrased
using the てform, as in 嫉妬し **て** 蹴落とそうとする, without changing the meaning. For
more on this usage of the continuative form, please see:

  * [Is there a term for using conjugating verbs such that the sentence continues with another clause?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9771/9831)
  * [Masu stem to connect sentences](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/41133/9831)

蹴落とそう is the volitional form of 蹴落とす, "kick down". "Volitional form + と + する"
means "try to do...". For more on this grammar, please see:

  * [Volitional + と + Verb](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/9688/9831)

