How to say "crush" in Japanese

• 圧倒あっとうCommon
  suru verb, transitive verb, nounCovers 'crush' only in the sense of defeating an opponent completely — overwhelming them in a contest, match, or fight. It does not cover physical crushing of objects.
• 潰すつぶすJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbFor physical crushing — smashing or flattening something so it loses its shape, like an empty can or a bug — this is the word you want.
  彼かれは私の帽子ぼうしをぺちゃんこにつぶした。↗

  He squashed my hat flat.
• 押しつぶすおしつぶすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbPhysical crushing with the nuance of pressing down: squashing or flattening something under weight or pressure. Think of something heavy bearing down on what gets crushed.
  天井てんじょうが落おちれば、彼かれは押おしつぶされるだろう。↗

  If the ceiling fell, he would be crushed.
• 混雑こんざつJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA noun, not a verb: the 'crush' of a crowd. Use it for congestion or crowding — packed trains, busy streets — where English speaks of the crush of people.
  その道みちは車くるまで混雑こんざつしている。↗

  The roads are jammed with cars.
• 砕くくだくJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCrushing in the sense of breaking something into pieces or shattering it — glass, ice — rather than flattening it. Choose this when the object ends up in fragments.
  ピックは硬かたい地表ちひょうを砕くだくために用もちいられる長ながい取っ手とっての道具どうぐだ。↗

  A pick is a long handled tool used for breaking up hard ground surfaces.

Use 「潰す」 or 「押しつぶす」 for physically crushing or flattening something, 「砕く」 for breaking it into pieces, 圧倒 for crushing an opponent, and 混雑 for the noun sense of a crush of people.

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

• 圧倒あっとうto overwhelm (e.g. an opponent)
• 潰すつぶすto smash
• 押しつぶすおしつぶすto crush
• 混雑こんざつcongestion
• 砕くくだくto break (into pieces)
• 目白押しめじろおしjostling
• 握りつぶすにぎりつぶすto crush (with one's hands)
• 打ちひしぐうちひしぐto crush (with the weight of misfortune)
• ひしぐto crush
• 取り拉ぐとりひしぐto crush
• 好きぴすきぴ(one's) crush
• ぶっ潰すぶっつぶすto smash (violently)
• かち割るかちわるto hit and break open
• 打ち崩すうちくずすto break down (an opponent's defenses)
• 踏み荒らすふみあらすto trample (down)
• 打ち砕くうちくだくto smash
• 突き砕くつきくだくto grind up
• 叩き潰すたたきつぶすto (hit and) crush
• もみくちゃjostling
• もみくしゃjostling
• もみくたjostling
• こなすto break down
• 突き崩すつきくずすto crush (e.g. enemy)
• 打ちのめすうちのめすto deal a devastating blow (from which one cannot recover)
• ぶちのめすto deal a devastating blow (from which one cannot recover)
• 粉々にするこなごなにするto beat to a pulp
• くじくto dampen (enthusiasm)