割れる・破れる|われるwareru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
割れる割れる is the more common written form and the one beginners should normally use; it is written with kanji and kana.
破れる破れる is a less common alternative, also written with kanji and kana; beginners should generally choose 割れる instead.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto break; to be smashed
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto split; to crack; to fissure; to be torn
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto be divided (opinion, vote, etc.); to split (e.g. of a party)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto come to light; to become clear; to be identified; to be revealed
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto become distorted (of sound); to clip
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto be divisible (without a remainder)
- ichidan verb, intransitive verbto drop below a minimum
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 割れる（われる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 割れます（われます） |
| Negative (nai) | 割れない（われない） |
| polite (masen) | 割れません（われません） |
| classical zu / nu | 割れず・割れぬ（われず・われぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 割れた（われた） |
| polite (mashita) | 割れました（われました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 割れなかった（われなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 割れませんでした（われませんでした） |
| Te form | 割れて（われて） |
| Potential | 割れられる（われられる） |
| Passive | 割れられる（われられる） |
| Causative | 割れさせる（われさせる） |
| Causative passive | 割れさせられる（われさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 割れれば（われれば） |
| tara | 割れたら（われたら） |
| Volitional | 割れよう（われよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 割れましょう（われましょう） |
| Imperative | 割れろ（われろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
皿が割れる
割れる focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 皿が割れる; 割る foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 皿を割る.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym壊れるこわれるNeutralThe broadest term for something being damaged or failing to work, as in 「機械が壊れる」; splitting open is not required.
- Synonym砕けるくだけるNeutralFor breaking into small fragments, as in 「ガラスが砕ける」; finer pieces than 「割れる」 suggests.
- Related崩れるくずれるNeutralFor a whole losing its shape and falling apart, as in 「積み木が崩れる」; it stresses losing form, while 「割れる」 stresses splitting open.
- Related破れるやぶれるNeutralFor thin things like paper or cloth tearing, and abstract breakdowns such as talks collapsing; 「割れる」 is mostly hard objects splitting or opinions dividing.
- Related潰れるつぶれるNeutralFor being crushed or squashed flat, as in 「箱が潰れる」; the point is deforming under pressure.
- Related破壊はかいWrittenWritten/formal: destroying or wrecking things such as buildings, data or cells, mostly used transitively; 「割れる」 is intransitive splitting.
- Related破損はそんWrittenWritten/formal: damage or breakage of goods, as in 「破損箇所」; typical of reports.
- Related崩落ほうらくWrittenWritten/formal: a mountainside or structure collapsing and falling, as in 「岩の崩落」; also a sudden market crash.
- Related損壊そんかいWrittenWritten/formal: damage or destruction, as in 「建物の損壊」; common in legal writing.
- RelatedきれるNeutralFor snapping or being cut in two, as in 「糸が切れる」; centers on thread-like things coming apart.
- Related折れるおれるNeutralFor long, thin things snapping, as in 「枝が折れる」; 「割れる」 is mostly hard things splitting open.
- Related自壊じかいWrittenWritten/formal: disintegrating from within without outside force, as in 「組織の自壊」.
- Related張り裂けるはりさけるWrittenWritten/formal: bursting open from force inside, also a figure for a heart about to break, as in 「胸が張り裂ける」.
- Relatedひび割れひびわれNeutralA noun for cracks or fissures, as in 「壁のひび割れ」; 「割れる」 is a verb covering splitting, shattering and divided opinions.
- Related破けるやぶけるCasualColloquial: paper or cloth tearing, as in 「袋が破ける」; the same sense as 「破れる」.
- RelatedこぼれるNeutralA variant of 「壊れる」: general damage or malfunction, not necessarily splitting; 「割れる」 covers cracking, shattering and uses like 「声が割れる」.
- Relatedひび割れるひびわれるNeutralA verb for developing cracks, as in 「手がひび割れる」; it only describes cracks appearing, while 「割れる」 can also mean splitting into pieces.
- Related折損せっそんWrittenWritten/formal: snapping or fracturing of machine or equipment parts, as in 「部品の折損」.
- Antonym繕うつくろうNeutralThe opposite action: mending or patching up what is torn or broken, as in 「服を繕う」.
- Antonym修復するWrittenThe opposite action in written/formal prose: restoring or repairing, as in 「壁画を修復する」.
Default to 「割れる」 for something hard cracking or splitting open, or for opinions splitting. Use 「砕ける」 for shattering into small pieces, 「破れる」 for tearing, 「壊れる」 for breaking down or failing, 「崩れる」 for collapsing out of shape, 「折れる」 for snapping, and 「ひび割れる」 for cracks forming. To mend the damage, say 「繕う」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
