How to say "ruin" in Japanese

• 破滅はめつCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers ruin as utter destruction or downfall, often of a person brought to ruin by their own actions or fate; it carries a dramatic, final nuance of self-destruction or doom.
  遅おそかれ早はやかれ彼かれは破滅はめつする。↗

  He will eventually ruin himself.
• 荒廃こうはいJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbRefers to ruin as devastation and decay of places, institutions, or society—cities, buildings, or morals gone to waste. It describes a neglected, run-down state rather than a sudden fall.
  その国くには戦争せんそうで荒廃こうはいしてしまった。↗

  The country was wasted by war.
• 滅亡めつぼうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbDenotes the ruin, collapse, or destruction of a nation, dynasty, organization, or other collective entity ceasing to exist; the ruin is final and total. It is not used for a person's moral ruin.
  仮かりに核戦争かくせんそうが起おこったとすれば、人類じんるいは滅亡めつぼうするだろう。↗

  If a nuclear war were to break out, mankind would perish.
• 崩れくずれCommon
  nounRefers to ruin as physical crumbling or collapse of structures, or a state of falling apart; as a noun it often describes the process or result of something breaking down rather than abstract downfall.
  岩崩いわくずれに気きをつけて。↗

  Look out for rock slides.
• 没落ぼつらくJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers ruin in the sense of downfall or decline in status and fortune, typically of a family, house, or once-prosperous person or group falling from wealth and prominence.
  商売しょうばいでそんな失敗しっぱいをしたらどんな会社かいしゃでも没落ぼつらくする。↗

  Such a business failure would sink any company.

Use 破滅 for personal or moral ruin and destruction, 滅亡 or 没落 for the downfall of families, states, or organizations, 荒廃 for physical and social decay of places, and 「崩れ」 for literal crumbling.

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

• 破滅はめつruin
• 荒廃こうはいruin
• 滅亡めつぼうdownfall
• 崩れくずれcrumbling
• 没落ぼつらくruin
• 滅ぼすほろぼすto destroy
• 損なうそこなうto harm
• 淪落りんらくruin
• つぶれcollapse
• 零落れいらくfalling into straitened circumstances
• 衰亡すいぼうdecline and fall
• 衰滅すいめつdecline
• 台無しにするだいなしにするto spoil
• 廃残はいざんdown-and-out
• 滅めつdestruction
• 棒に振るぼうにふるto waste
• 倒すたおすto overthrow
• 壊すこわすto wreck
• 傾けるかたむけるto ruin
• 疲弊ひへいimpoverishment
• 蝕むむしばむto affect adversely
• 敗残はいざんdecline (of a person, business, etc.)
• 形骸けいがいframework (of a building, etc.)
• ぶち壊すぶちこわすto ruin (a plan, atmosphere, etc.)
• 打ち壊すうちこわすto ruin (e.g. a plan)
• ぶっ潰すぶっつぶすto ruin (a plan, company, etc.)
• ぶっ壊すぶっこわすto ruin (a plan, atmosphere, etc.)
• 書き損なうかきそこなうto spoil (e.g. a letter) due to writing mistakes
• 書き損じるかきそんじるto spoil (e.g. a letter) due to writing mistakes
• 振るふるto abandon
• 損するそんするto harm