How to say "wreckage" in Japanese

• 瓦礫がれきCommon
  nounCovers wreckage in the sense of piles of rubble and debris—broken concrete, tiles and stones scattered after an earthquake, fire or demolition. Think collapsed-buildings debris rather than a single wrecked object.
  一連いちれんの爆発ばくはつで、その研究けんきゅう施設しせつは瓦礫がれきの山やまと化かした。↗

  A series of blasts reduced the laboratory to ruins.
• 残骸ざんがい
  nounCovers wreckage as the broken remains of something specific, such as a crashed plane, car or ship. Suggests identifiable leftovers of one wrecked thing, and extends to remains of destroyed machines or bodies.
  船ふねが沈没ちんぼつしてしまってのち、船ふねの残骸ざんがいが引き上ひきあげられた。↗

  The wreckage of the ship was salvaged after it had gone to Davy Jones's locker.

Use 瓦礫 for scattered rubble and debris, especially after earthquakes, explosions or demolition; use 残骸 for the broken remains of a wrecked vehicle, aircraft, ship, building or body.

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

• 瓦礫がれきrubble
• 残骸ざんがいruins