決壊・決潰|けっかいkekkai[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
決壊決壊 is the most common written form for this meaning and is written in kanji; beginning learners should normally choose it.
決潰決潰 is a rarely used kanji spelling; you will seldom encounter it and should generally use 決壊 instead.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbburst (e.g. dam, embankment, levee); breach; collapse; washout; rupture
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 決壊する（けっかいする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 決壊します（けっかいします） |
| Negative (nai) | 決壊しない（けっかいしない） |
| polite (masen) | 決壊しません（けっかいしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 決壊せず・決壊せぬ（けっかいせず・けっかいせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 決壊した（けっかいした） |
| polite (mashita) | 決壊しました（けっかいしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 決壊しなかった（けっかいしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 決壊しませんでした（けっかいしませんでした） |
| Te form | 決壊して（けっかいして） |
| Potential | 決壊できる（けっかいできる） |
| Passive | 決壊される（けっかいされる） |
| Causative | 決壊させる（けっかいさせる） |
| Causative passive | 決壊させられる（けっかいさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 決壊すれば（けっかいすれば） |
| tara | 決壊したら（けっかいしたら） |
| Volitional | 決壊しよう（けっかいしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 決壊しましょう（けっかいしましょう） |
| Imperative | 決壊しろ（けっかいしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym崩壊ほうかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Covers the collapse of buildings, organizations and systems — a far broader range than 決壊, which centers on water breaching an embankment.
- Related倒壊とうかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. For buildings and structures falling down, as in 「家屋が倒壊」. It stresses the falling itself, while 決壊 stresses the breach made by water.
- Related崩れるくずれるNeutralNeutral. The most general term: to crumble, lose shape or fall apart, and it also covers weather turning bad. It does not specifically mean a levee being breached.
- Related崩れ落ちるくずれおちるNeutralNeutral. To crumble and tumble down, as in 「崖が崩れ落ちる」. Carries a vivid visual image of collapse, unlike 決壊's focus on a breach.
- Related破壊はかいNeutralNeutral, transitive: to destroy something, by human or natural force, as in 「環境破壊」. 決壊 names the breach itself, not an act of destruction.
- Related崩落ほうらくWrittenWritten/formal prose. For mountainsides, tunnels and structures caving in, and also for a market crash. It stresses material falling away, not a breach made by water.
- Related潰れるつぶれるNeutralNeutral. To be crushed or squashed out of shape; by extension to fail or go under, as in 「会社が潰れる」. Leans toward deformation and failure, not a breach.
- Related全壊ぜんかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. A building destroyed completely or near-completely; common in disaster statistics, as in 「全壊家屋」. Rates the damage; 決壊 names the breach.
- Related壊れるこわれるNeutralNeutral and the most everyday word: to break or stop working, as in 「機械が壊れる」. It can cover large structures too, but lacks 決壊's image of water bursting through.
- Related潰えるついえるWrittenWritten/formal prose. For buildings, plans and dreams collapsing into nothing, as in 「夢が潰える」. About things falling through, not about a breach.
Use 「決壊」 for a dam or embankment bursting open — 「堤防が決壊する」 — or figuratively for bursting into tears, 「涙腺が決壊」. For buildings falling down pick 「倒壊」, for systems or organizations breaking down 「崩壊」. The rest cover general collapse, destruction, bankruptcy or broken machines.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
