How to say "collapse" in Japanese

• 崩れるくずれるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive verb for physical collapsing or crumbling: buildings, walls, snow, or shapes losing form. Also used for things falling apart gradually, such as makeup, posture, or weather turning bad.
  本ほんの山やまは今いまにも崩くずれそうに見みえる。↗

  Those books look as if they're going to topple over any minute.
• 崩壊ほうかいJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun covering dramatic, often total collapse: of buildings, cliffs, or of abstract systems like regimes, economies, or families. Suggests large-scale destruction or breakdown rather than simple falling over.
  チューダー朝ちょうは１６０３年ねんに崩壊ほうかいした。↗

  The Tudor Dynasty fell in the year 1603.
• 倒れるたおれるJLPT N4approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbVerb for falling over or down: people collapsing, trees toppling, or governments and companies going under. The physical sense is literal falling; extended uses mean a person or organization failing or being toppled.
  彼かれは横よこにばったり倒たおれた。↗

  He fell flat on the floor.
• 崩落ほうらくCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun specifically for collapse of elevated physical material, such as rock, soil, or a cliff face caving in or crashing down. Common in news reports about landslides and cave-ins; not used for abstract systems.
• 破綻はたんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun for failure or breakdown of plans, negotiations, marriages, or finances — the sense of 'collapse' as in a company going bankrupt or talks breaking down. Not for physical collapse.
  彼かれらの結婚けっこん生活せいかつは去年きょねん破はたんした。↗

  Their marriage broke up last year.

Use 「崩れる」 for physical crumbling, 崩壊 for total breakdown of structures or systems, 「倒れる」 for falling over, 崩落 for caving-in of terrain or rock, and 破綻 for financial or organizational failure.

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

• 崩れるくずれるto collapse
• 崩壊ほうかいcollapse
• 倒れるたおれるto fall (over, down)
• 崩落ほうらくcollapse
• 破綻はたんfailure
• 滅亡めつぼうdownfall
• 崩れくずれcrumbling
• 倒壊とうかいdestruction
• 落ちるおちるto fall
• 瓦解がかいcollapse
• 倒れたおれcollapse
• 決壊けっかいburst (e.g. dam, embankment, levee)
• 陥没かんぼつcave-in
• 抜け落ちるぬけおちるto come out (e.g. hair)
• 没落ぼつらくruin
• 総崩れそうくずれrout
• 崩れ去るくずれさるto crumble away
• 壊れるこわれるto be broken
• 潰れるつぶれるto be crushed
• 凹むへこむto be dented
• 陥落かんらくsubsidence
• 倒れこむたおれこむto collapse
• ぶっ倒れるぶったおれるto collapse
• 潰えるついえるto collapse (of a building, dream, plan, etc.)
• つぶれcollapse
• くずおれるto collapse (physically or emotionally)
• 腰が砕けるこしがくだけるto collapse
• 丸つぶれまるつぶれcomplete ruin
• 押し縮めるおしちぢめるto squeeze
• ガタガタになるto break down
• こけるto fall over
• やぶれtear
• ポシャるto fall through (of a plan, project, etc.)
• へたばるto be exhausted
• 衰亡すいぼうdecline and fall
• 陥入かんにゅうsubsidence
• まいるto be defeated
• 砕けるくだけるto collapse
• 破局はきょくcollapse (of a relationship)
• 破れるやぶれるto be broken off (of negotiations, etc.)
• 決するけっするto break and overflow (e.g. levee)
• パンクbursting
• 折りたたむおりたたむto collapse (content on a webpage, etc.)
• 壊乱かいらんcollapse (of an organization, system, etc.)
• 息が切れるいきがきれるto run out of steam
• 虚脱きょだつ(physical) collapse
• きれるto break
• 抜けるぬけるto go through
• 伸びるのびるto be exhausted