How to say "break" in Japanese

• きれるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbFor something long and thin — a thread, string, rope, or cable — snapping, being cut through, or splitting apart; the break happens to the thing itself, not to a solid object being smashed.
  二人ふたりの子供こどもは綱つなが切きれるまで引っ張ひっぱりあった。↗

  The two children pulled at the rope until it broke.
• 壊すこわすJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbTransitive: a person breaks, wrecks, or destroys something — a machine, a toy, a building — with the force of 'destroy' and 'demolish' behind it; not a clean snap of something slender.
  その事ことが彼かれのすべての夢ゆめを壊こわした。↗

  That destroyed all his dreams.
• 割れるわれるJLPT N4approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: brittle things — glass, dishes, mirrors, screens — break, crack, or are smashed into pieces; the natural verb when something fragile shatters, by accident or on purpose.
  プラスチックは割われにくい。↗

  Plastic does not break easily.
• 折れるおれるJLPT N4approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: something long and stiff snaps or fractures — a branch, a stick, a pencil, a bone; the thing bends and breaks across rather than shattering.
  医者いしゃは彼かれの折おれた足あしをついだ。↗

  The doctor set his broken leg.
• 折るおるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbTransitive partner of 折れる: a person snaps something long and stiff in two — breaks a stick, snaps off a branch, fractures a bone — so use it when someone does the breaking.
  最後さいごのわら一いち本ぽんがらくだの背骨せぼねを折おる。↗

  The last straw breaks the camel's back.

Japanese splits 'break' by what breaks and who acts: strings and ropes snap (「きれる」), people wreck or demolish things (「壊す」), glass and dishes smash (「割れる」), and stiff slender things snap — 「折れる」 intransitive, 「折る」 transitive.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• きれるto break
• 壊すこわすto break
• 割れるわれるto break
• 折れるおれるto break
• 折るおるto break
• ブレイクbreak (rest)
• 壊れるこわれるto be broken
• 休憩きゅうけいrest
• 破るやぶるto tear
• 砕くくだくto break (into pieces)
• 砕けるくだけるto break (into pieces)
• 打ち破るうちやぶるto break
• 欠けるかけるto chip
• 中断ちゅうだんinterruption
• 合間あいまinterval
• 切れ目きれめgap
• 欠くかくto chip
• 一休みひとやすみ(short) rest
• 絶え間たえまinterval
• 崩落ほうらくcollapse
• 晴れ間はれまbreak (in the weather, esp. rain or snow)
• 破れるやぶれるto get torn
• いかれるto break
• ぶち壊すぶちこわすto destroy
• 打ち壊すうちこわすto destroy
• 途切れとぎれbreak
• つんざくto break
• 蹴破るけやぶるto break (by kicking)
• 中休みなかやすみbreak (from work, etc.)
• 劈へきbreak
• 折れ口おれくちbreak
• 一区切りひとくぎりbreak
• ブチるto break (a promise)
• 打ち砕くうちくだくto smash
• 破断はだんrupture
• へし折るへしおるto smash
• 張り裂けるはりさけるto burst (open)
• すっぽかすto leave (something) undone
• 切れ間きれまinterval
• 小止みこやみlull (e.g. in the rain)
• 駄目になるだめになるto spoil
• 休息時間きゅうそくじかんrecess
• 毀つこぼつto destroy
• ぶっ壊すぶっこわすto destroy
• 割り目わりめcrack
• 途絶えとだえpause
• やぶれtear
• 破けるやぶけるto get torn
• 隙間時間すきまじかんspare moment
• 気分転換きぶんてんかんchange of pace
• 割るわるto break
• 犯すおかすto break (e.g. rule)
• 隙間すきまspare moment
• 潰すつぶすto wreck
• 隙すきbreak
• 区切りくぎりbreak
• 一息ひといきpause
• 塗り替えるぬりかえるto change completely
• 一服いっぷく(short) rest
• 切り崩すきりくずすto split (the opposition)
• 痛みいたみdamage
• 放課ほうかrecess (at school)
• ブッチto break (a promise)
• つぶれbreak (on a printed line, letter, etc.)
• 打ち崩すうちくずすto break (an established notion)
• 違えるたがえるto run counter to
• あぼーんto delete
• 崩すくずすto break (a bill)