How to say "smash" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 潰すつぶすgodan verb, transitive verbCovers smashing in the sense of crushing or flattening something until it loses its shape. Think of crushing a can or box flat rather than breaking it into pieces.
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe loanword for the smash as a sports shot: the hard downward strike in tennis, badminton or volleyball. Outside sports it is not the word for smashing things in general.
- 砕くくだくgodan verb, transitive verbSmashing or shattering something into pieces: stone, ice, glass. The emphasis is on the object ending up in fragments, matching the 'shatter' sense more than flattening.
- 打ち破るうちやぶるgodan verb, transitive verbTypically figurative: smashing a record, defeating an opponent, breaking through barriers — its 'defeat' and 'destroy' senses. For physically breaking an object into pieces, 砕く is the better fit.
- 打ち込むうちこむgodan verb, transitive verbFor 'smash' as hitting a ball hard — driving it with force, as in sports. It is about striking something in, not breaking or crushing it, so it seldom stands in for 潰す or 砕く.
Use 「潰す」 for crushing or flattening, 「砕く」 for breaking into pieces, 「スマッシュ」 for the sporting shot, 「打ち破る」 for figuratively smashing records or defeating opponents, and 「打ち込む」 for driving a ball hard.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 潰すつぶすto smash
- スマッシュsmash
- 砕くくだくto break (into pieces)
- 打ち破るうちやぶるto break
- ぶち壊すぶちこわすto destroy
- 打ち壊すうちこわすto destroy
- 打ち砕くうちくだくto smash
- ぶっ潰すぶっつぶすto smash (violently)
- 叩き割るたたきわるto smash
- へし折るへしおるto smash
- 叩き潰すたたきつぶすto (hit and) crush
- ガシャンcrash
- かち割るかちわるto hit and break open
- ぶっ壊すぶっこわすto destroy
- どうとcrash
- 割るわるto break
- 打ち込むうちこむto hit (a ball, etc.)
- キルkill (shot)
- バリン(with a) whoomp
See also
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