When something breaks into pieces or crumbles apart on its own, you use 砕ける (kudakeru). It's an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn't take a direct object. Think of a wave breaking on the shore, a rock crumbling, or a vase shattering. The action happens to the object itself without an external agent doing the breaking.
When we talk about something 砕ける (kudakeru), we're generally referring to something hard breaking into smaller pieces or crumbling. Think of a ceramic plate hitting the floor and shattering, or a dry cookie crumbling in your hand. It's an intransitive verb, meaning the thing that breaks is the subject of the sentence, not something being broken by an external force.
For example, if you say 「お皿が砕けた」(osara ga kudaketa), it means "The plate broke/shattered." You wouldn't use it for something like breaking a promise or breaking a record; it's specifically about physical objects breaking apart.
§ Similar words and when to use 砕ける (kudakeru) vs alternatives
Japanese has several words for 'break' or 'smash.' Knowing the nuances helps you pick the right one.
- 砕ける (kudakeru)
- This is an intransitive verb. It means something breaks apart, shatters, or crumbles on its own. Think of a glass shattering, a wave breaking, or ice crumbling. It emphasizes the *result* of something breaking into smaller pieces. It can also describe abstract things, like hopes being 'crushed' or a formal atmosphere 'breaking down' into a more relaxed one.
コップが床に落ちて砕けました。
The glass fell on the floor and shattered.
波が岩に当たって砕ける。
Waves break against the rocks.
- 壊れる (kowareru)
- Also an intransitive verb, meaning 'to break,' 'to be damaged,' or 'to stop working.' This is a more general term for breaking or malfunctioning. It applies to things that are no longer functional or intact, but not necessarily shattered into pieces. Think of a car breaking down, a toy breaking, or a relationship breaking apart.
テレビが壊れた。
The TV broke.
おもちゃが壊れた。
The toy broke.
- 割れる (wareru)
- Also an intransitive verb, meaning 'to crack,' 'to split,' or 'to break' (especially glass, ceramic, or eggs). This often implies breaking into a few larger pieces or cracking without fully shattering. It's common for things that are brittle.
窓ガラスが割れた。
The window glass cracked/broke.
お皿が割れてしまった。
The plate broke.
Here's a quick comparison:
- 砕ける (kudakeru): Breaks into many small pieces, crumbles. Think 'shatter.' Also used for abstract concepts like hopes or formal atmosphere.
- 壊れる (kowareru): General 'break,' 'damage,' or 'malfunction.' The item is no longer functional or whole.
- 割れる (wareru): Cracks or breaks into a few distinct pieces, often brittle objects. Think 'crack' or 'split.'
To give you some examples with transitive forms (where someone *does* the breaking):
- 砕く (kudaku)
- To break, smash, or crush something into small pieces. This is the transitive counterpart of 砕ける (kudakeru).
氷を砕いてドリンクに入れた。
I crushed the ice and put it in the drink.
- 壊す (kowasu)
- To break or damage something. This is the transitive counterpart of 壊れる (kowareru).
子供が時計を壊した。
The child broke the clock.
- 割る (waru)
- To crack or break something (e.g., an egg, a window). This is the transitive counterpart of 割れる (wareru).
卵を割ってください。
Please crack an egg.
When in doubt, think about the *type* of breaking. Is it shattering into many small pieces? Use 砕ける. Is it just generally broken or not working? Use 壊れる. Is it cracking or breaking into a few larger pieces, especially something brittle? Use 割れる.
Examples by Level
そのコップは床に落ちて砕けた。
The glass fell on the floor and broke.
波が岩に砕ける音を聞いた。
I heard the sound of waves crashing against the rocks.
心臓が砕けそうなくらい悲しかった。
I was so sad, my heart felt like it would break.
硬い氷がハンマーで砕けた。
The hard ice was smashed by a hammer.
古い壁が少しずつ砕けている。
The old wall is crumbling little by little.
夢が砕けて、彼はがっかりした。
His dream was shattered, and he was disappointed.
岩が砕けて砂になる。
Rocks break down into sand.
プレッシャーで彼の自信が砕けた。
His confidence was broken by the pressure.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
波が岸壁に砕ける。
The waves break against the cliff.
硬い氷が砕けた。
The hard ice broke.
彼女の夢が砕けてしまった。
Her dream was shattered.
そのニュースで彼の希望は砕けた。
His hopes were crushed by the news.
友人の死に心が砕ける思いだった。
My heart was breaking at my friend's death.
もっと砕けた話し方で大丈夫ですよ。
It's fine to speak in a more casual way.
彼は砕けた表現をよく使う。
He often uses casual expressions.
この文章は少し砕けすぎている。
This writing is a little too informal.
会議の雰囲気は砕けていた。
The atmosphere of the meeting was relaxed.
クッキーが袋の中で砕けていた。
The cookies were crumbled in the bag.
Tips
Basic Meaning of 砕ける
Understand that 砕ける (kudakeru) means something breaks, smashes, or crumbles on its own. It's an intransitive verb, so it doesn't take a direct object.
Intransitive vs. Transitive
Remember the difference: 砕ける (kudakeru) is intransitive (e.g., The glass broke). Its transitive counterpart is 砕く (kudaku), meaning 'to break/smash something' (e.g., I broke the glass).
Common Use: Hard Objects
You'll often hear 砕ける used for hard, solid objects like glass, stone, or ice. Think of things that shatter or break into pieces.
Figurative Use: Spirit/Heart
Beyond physical breaking, 砕ける can also be used figuratively for one's spirit or heart breaking. For example, 心が砕ける (kokoro ga kudakeru) means 'one's heart is broken'.
Use with が
Since it's an intransitive verb, the subject that breaks will be marked with the particle が (ga). For instance, 氷が砕ける (koori ga kudakeru - the ice breaks).
Past Tense Usage
To say something 'broke' or 'shattered', use the past tense: 砕けた (kudaketa). For example, 窓ガラスが砕けた (madogarasu ga kudaketa - the window glass broke).
Particle Breakdown: に vs. へ
When something breaks into pieces, you might see に (ni) used: 粉々に砕ける (konagona ni kudakeru - to break into tiny pieces).
Contextual Nuances
While 'to break' is the main meaning, consider if 'to shatter' or 'to crumble' fits the context better for stronger imagery. For instance, a cookie might 'crumble' (砕ける).
Listen for the Sound
Pay attention to the sound of 'kudakeru' – it has a slightly harsh, impactful sound, fitting its meaning of breaking.
Practice with Examples
The best way to learn is by seeing it in action. Try to come up with your own sentences, like 波が岩に砕ける (nami ga iwa ni kudakeru - the waves break against the rocks).
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Things that break easily (e.g., glass, ice)
- ガラスが砕ける (garasu ga kudakeru) - The glass breaks/shatters.
- 氷が砕ける (koori ga kudakeru) - The ice breaks/crumbles.
- 簡単に砕ける (kantan ni kudakeru) - Breaks easily.
Figurative use: Hopes, dreams, hearts breaking
- 夢が砕ける (yume ga kudakeru) - Hopes/dreams are crushed.
- 心が砕ける (kokoro ga kudakeru) - One's heart breaks.
- 期待が砕ける (kitai ga kudakeru) - Expectations are dashed.
Something crumbling or falling apart (e.g., an old building)
- 建物が砕ける (tatemono ga kudakeru) - The building crumbles/falls apart.
- 岩が砕ける (iwa ga kudakeru) - The rock crumbles.
- 壁が砕ける (kabe ga kudakeru) - The wall crumbles.
Something being crushed or pulverized (e.g., in a machine)
- 機械で砕ける (kikai de kudakeru) - Crushed/pulverized by a machine.
- 粉々に砕ける (konagona ni kudakeru) - Breaks into tiny pieces.
- 砂のように砕ける (suna no you ni kudakeru) - Crumbles like sand.
Waves breaking on the shore
- 波が砕ける (nami ga kudakeru) - Waves break.
- 岩に砕ける波 (iwa ni kudakeru nami) - Waves breaking against the rocks.
- 砕ける波の音 (kudakeru nami no oto) - The sound of breaking waves.
Conversation Starters
"最近、何か心が砕けるようなことがありましたか？ (Saikin, nanika kokoro ga kudakeru you na koto ga arimashita ka?) - Has anything recently happened that made your heart break?"
"もしタイムマシンがあったら、過去のどんな期待が砕ける瞬間を見に行きたいですか？ (Moshi taimu mashin ga attara, kako no donna kitai ga kudakeru shunkan o mi ni ikitai desu ka?) - If you had a time machine, what moment of shattered expectations in the past would you want to go see?"
"あなたの住んでいる場所で、自然に砕けるようなものを見たことがありますか？ (Anata no sunde iru basho de, shizen ni kudakeru you na mono o mita koto ga arimasu ka?) - Have you ever seen anything in nature crumble or break in your area?"
"人生で一番砕け散った夢は何ですか？それをどう乗り越えましたか？ (Jinsei de ichiban kudakechitta yume wa nan desu ka? Sore o dou norikoemashita ka?) - What's the biggest dream that was shattered in your life? How did you overcome it?"
"未来のテクノロジーで、どんなものが「砕ける」という概念を変えると思いますか？ (Mirai no tekunorojii de, donna mono ga "kudakeru" to iu gainen o kaeru to omoimasu ka?) - What kind of future technology do you think will change the concept of 'breaking' or 'crumbling'?"
Journal Prompts
何か心が砕けるような経験をしたとき、どのように立ち直りましたか？具体的な行動や考え方を書いてください。
もしあなたの夢が砕けたとしたら、その時どんな気持ちになり、どのように未来を再構築しますか？
自然の中で「砕ける」という現象が一番印象的だったのはどんな時ですか？その時の情景や音、感情を詳しく描写してください。
社会や人間関係において、「期待が砕ける」という状況をどのように防ぎ、また、どのように受け止めるべきだと考えますか？
未来に起こりうる災害で、何が砕ける可能性があると思いますか？それに対して今できる準備は何ですか？
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsBoth 砕ける (kudakeru) and 壊れる (kowareru) mean 'to break.' However, 砕ける implies something breaking into many small pieces, like crumbling or shattering. Think of a vase shattering on the floor. 壊れる is more general and can refer to something simply ceasing to function or breaking in a less dramatic way, like a car breaking down. So, if your phone screen 砕ける, it's shattered, but if your phone 壊れる, it might just not turn on anymore.
Yes, it can! While primarily used for physical objects, 砕ける can metaphorically refer to one's heart or spirit being broken or crushed. For example, 心が砕ける (kokoro ga kudakeru) means 'one's heart is broken.' It conveys a strong sense of emotional devastation.
砕ける is an intransitive verb. This means it describes an action that the subject performs on itself, or that happens to the subject, without a direct object. So, something 'breaks' or 'shatters' on its own. If you want to say 'to break something' (transitive), you would use a different verb like 砕く (kudaku).
Common examples include things like ice (氷が砕ける - kōri ga kudakeru), glass (ガラスが砕ける - garasu ga kudakeru), rocks (石が砕ける - ishi ga kudakeru), or even waves (波が砕ける - nami ga kudakeru) as they crash against the shore. It's often used when something becomes fragmented or powdery.
Here are some basic conjugations for 砕ける:
- Present/Non-past: 砕ける (kudakeru - breaks)
- Past: 砕けた (kudaketa - broke)
- Negative: 砕けない (kudakenai - doesn't break)
- Te-form: 砕けて (kudakete - breaking, and...)
- Volitional: 砕けよう (kudakeyō - let's break, I intend to break)
Yes, the polite form of 砕ける is 砕けます (kudakemasu). This is typically used in more formal situations or when speaking to someone you don't know well. For example, 氷が砕けます (kōri ga kudakemasu) means 'the ice breaks' in a polite way.
Not directly. While 'crushed' can imply a severe defeat in English, 砕ける focuses on physical breaking into pieces or emotional devastation. For a team being 'crushed' in a competition, you'd typically use phrases like 完敗する (kanpai suru - to suffer a complete defeat) or 圧倒される (attō sareru - to be overwhelmed).
The kanji for 砕ける is 砕. It's composed of the radical 石 (ishi - stone) on the left and 卒 (sotsu - soldier, graduate, end) on the right. While the exact etymology can be complex, you can think of the stone being 'ended' or 'broken' into pieces. The 'stone' radical often indicates something hard or solid.
Besides 心が砕ける (kokoro ga kudakeru - heart is broken), another common one is 砕けた話し方 (kudaketa hanashikata), which means a 'casual' or 'informal way of speaking.' In this context, 砕ける suggests that the formality has been 'broken down' or 'loosened up,' making the speech more relaxed.
While 砕ける describes the act of breaking, the Japanese word for 'fragile' is 脆い (moroi). If something is 脆い (moroi), it means it's likely to 砕ける (kudakeru). So, a 脆いもの (moroi mono - fragile thing) is something that can easily 砕ける (kudakeru - break or shatter).
Test Yourself 48 questions
This sentence means 'The glass broke on the floor.' The particles indicate the subject and location.
This sentence means 'The stone broke and became small.' '砕けて' is the te-form of '砕ける'.
This sentence means 'The cookie broke (unfortunately).' '〜てしまった' indicates an unfortunate completion.
Which sentence correctly uses 砕ける (kudakeru)?
砕ける (kudakeru) is an intransitive verb meaning 'to break' or 'to crumble.' It describes something breaking by itself. The ice broke and turned into water. The other options use '砕ける' incorrectly because it's an intransitive verb and doesn't take a direct object in the way these sentences imply.
Choose the best English meaning for 砕ける in this sentence: 「お皿が床に落ちて砕けた。」(Osara ga yuka ni ochite kudaketa.)
砕ける (kudakeru) means 'to break' or 'to smash' when something falls. In this context, it means the plate broke.
Which of these is most likely to 砕ける (kudakeru) if dropped?
ガラスのコップ (glass cup) is fragile and likely to break or shatter (砕ける) if dropped. The other items are not typically described with 砕ける when dropped.
A soft pillow can 砕ける (kudakeru).
砕ける (kudakeru) means to break or crumble, usually referring to hard or brittle objects. A soft pillow would not 'break' in this way.
When a large rock falls and turns into many small pieces, you can say the rock 砕けた (kudaketa).
砕ける (kudakeru) can describe something breaking into many smaller pieces, like a rock crumbling.
「彼の夢が砕けた」 (Kare no yume ga kudaketa) means his dream was fulfilled.
「夢が砕ける」 (yume ga kudakeru) is an idiom that means a dream was crushed or shattered, not fulfilled.
Write a sentence describing something that might 'crumble' or 'break' easily, using 砕ける.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
このクッキーはとても脆いので、すぐに砕けてしまいます。(This cookie is very fragile, so it breaks easily.)
Imagine a glass falling and 'shattering'. Write a short sentence about it using 砕ける.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
ガラスが床に落ちて、砕けた。(The glass fell on the floor and shattered.)
Write a sentence about something that is so dry it 'crumbled' in your hands, using 砕ける.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
パンが乾燥しすぎて、手の中で砕けた。(The bread was too dry and crumbled in my hands.)
何が砕けましたか？
Read this passage:
古いお城の壁は、とても古くて脆かった。少し触るだけで、石が地面に砕けた。
何が砕けましたか？
文章によると、少し触るだけで「石が地面に砕けた」とあります。
文章によると、少し触るだけで「石が地面に砕けた」とあります。
なぜおもちゃは砕けましたか？
Read this passage:
子供がおもちゃを乱暴に扱ったので、プラスチックのおもちゃが音を立てて砕けた。子供は悲しんだ。
なぜおもちゃは砕けましたか？
文章に「子供がおもちゃを乱暴に扱ったので」とあります。
文章に「子供がおもちゃを乱暴に扱ったので」とあります。
何が岩の一部を砕きましたか？
Read this passage:
嵐の夜、大きな波が岩に打ち付けた。その衝撃で、岩の一部が砕けて海に落ちた。
何が岩の一部を砕きましたか？
文章に「大きな波が岩に打ち付けた。その衝撃で」とあります。波が岩に打ち付けた衝撃が原因です。
文章に「大きな波が岩に打ち付けた。その衝撃で」とあります。波が岩に打ち付けた衝撃が原因です。
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼の夢は簡単に___。
「砕ける (kudakeru)」is an intransitive verb meaning 'to crumble' or 'to be broken into small pieces,' which fits the context of a dream easily falling apart.
Which sentence uses '砕ける' correctly?
「砕ける (kudakeru)」 is an intransitive verb. This means it describes something breaking on its own or due to an external force without a direct agent. The other options use transitive verbs or imply a direct agent for breaking.
What is the correct English translation for: 氷が砕けて水になった。(Kōri ga kudakete mizu ni natta.)
「砕ける (kudakeru)」 here means the ice broke down or crumbled and became water.
The sentence "彼女は花瓶を砕けた。(Kanojo wa kabin o kudaketa.)" is grammatically correct and means "She broke the vase."
「砕ける (kudakeru)」 is an intransitive verb, meaning it expresses an action done by the subject itself, not to an object by the subject. To say 'she broke the vase,' a transitive verb like 「割る (waru)」 or 「壊す (kowasu)」 would be needed.
If something "砕ける (kudakeru)", it means it is completely destroyed or broken into very small pieces.
「砕ける (kudakeru)」 implies that something breaks or crumbles into smaller fragments, often completely.
You can use "砕ける" when you intentionally break something with your hands.
「砕ける (kudakeru)」 is an intransitive verb, meaning the breaking happens without a direct agent performing the action. If you intentionally break something, you would use a transitive verb like 「砕く (kudaku)」 or 「壊す (kowasu)」.
The old plate fell on the floor and broke into pieces.
I heard the sound of ice breaking.
The rocks are gradually crumbling due to the waves.
Read this aloud:
夢が砕ける
Focus: 砕ける (kudakeru)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
希望が砕ける瞬間
Focus: 瞬間 (shunkan)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
心が砕けるような経験
Focus: 経験 (keiken)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
The dream was shattered, but I found a new goal.
The sound of waves breaking on the rocks is pleasant.
His confidence was completely shattered by that failure.
Read this aloud:
困難に直面しても、決して心が砕けることはない。
Focus: 砕ける (kudakeru)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
希望が砕ける瞬間は辛いものだ。
Focus: 希望 (kibou)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
硬い氷が砕ける音は冬の風物詩だ。
Focus: 風物詩 (fūbutsushi)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
彼の夢は泡のように簡単に___。
「砕ける」は、夢や希望が打ち砕かれるような抽象的な状況にも使われます。「壊れる」や「割れる」は物理的なものに使うことが多いです。「散る」は広範囲に飛び散る様子を表します。
硬い岩も長い年月をかけて風雨に___。
「砕ける」は、徐々に細かくなる様子を表すのに適しています。「崩れる」は形が大きく崩れることを指し、「壊れる」や「割れる」はより急激な破損に使われます。
彼女の心は彼の冷たい言葉に___。
「砕け散る」は、心や希望などが完全に打ち砕かれ、ばらばらになるような強い感情的な衝撃を表します。他の選択肢は感情的な状況にはあまり使いません。
期待が___、彼は立ち直るのに時間がかかった。
期待や希望が失われる状況では「砕ける」が最も適切です。「壊れる」や「割れる」は物理的な破損に多く用いられ、「崩れる」は計画や体制などに使われます。
波が岩に___、白い泡となって消えた。
波が岩に当たって細かく散る様子は「砕ける」で表現されます。「壊れる」や「割れる」は波の物理的な破損には使えず、「崩れる」も不自然です。
あの国の経済は、もはや___寸前だと言われている。
経済や体制が破綻する際には「崩壊する」が最も適切な表現です。「砕ける」も使えますが、「崩壊する」の方がより広範なシステム全体の破綻を表します。この文脈では「砕ける」も不自然ではありませんが、「崩壊する」がより的確です。
The sound of violent waves breaking against the cliff.
His dream easily shattered.
I felt the ice crunching underfoot.
Read this aloud:
固い決意が砕けることはなかった。
Focus: 砕ける (kudakeru)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
困難に直面しても、彼の精神は決して砕けなかった。
Focus: 砕けなかった (kudakenakatta)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
その衝撃でガラスが砕け散った。
Focus: 砕け散った (kudakechitta)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
Basic Meaning of 砕ける
Understand that 砕ける (kudakeru) means something breaks, smashes, or crumbles on its own. It's an intransitive verb, so it doesn't take a direct object.
Intransitive vs. Transitive
Remember the difference: 砕ける (kudakeru) is intransitive (e.g., The glass broke). Its transitive counterpart is 砕く (kudaku), meaning 'to break/smash something' (e.g., I broke the glass).
Common Use: Hard Objects
You'll often hear 砕ける used for hard, solid objects like glass, stone, or ice. Think of things that shatter or break into pieces.
Figurative Use: Spirit/Heart
Beyond physical breaking, 砕ける can also be used figuratively for one's spirit or heart breaking. For example, 心が砕ける (kokoro ga kudakeru) means 'one's heart is broken'.
Example
波が岩に当たって砕けた。
Related Content
More nature words
～上
B1Above; on top of; up.
〜の上
A2On top of, above, upon.
豊か
B1Abundant; rich; plentiful (na-adjective).
〜に従って
B1According to, in conformity with, as (something happens).
酸性雨
B1Acid rain.
営み
B1Activity; daily life; undertaking (e.g., life's activities).
順応する
B1To adapt; to adjust; to conform.
~を背景に
B1Against the backdrop of; with...as background.
空気
A2air
大気汚染
B1Air pollution; the presence of harmful substances in the air.
