潰す|つぶすtsubusu[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto smash; to crush; to flatten
- godan verb, transitive verbto shut down; to put out of business; to force (a company) to close up shop
- godan verb, transitive verbto wreck; to break; to block; to thwart
- godan verb, transitive verbto butcher; to slaughter; to kill (livestock, for food)
- godan verb, transitive verbto kill (time); to while away (the time); to use up (one's time)
- godan verb, transitive verbto waste (e.g. talents)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 潰す（つぶす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 潰します（つぶします） |
| Negative (nai) | 潰さない（つぶさない） |
| polite (masen) | 潰しません（つぶしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 潰さず・潰さぬ（つぶさず・つぶさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 潰した（つぶした） |
| polite (mashita) | 潰しました（つぶしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 潰さなかった（つぶさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 潰しませんでした（つぶしませんでした） |
| Te form | 潰して（つぶして） |
| Potential | 潰せる（つぶせる） |
| Passive | 潰される（つぶされる） |
| Causative | 潰させる（つぶさせる） |
| Causative passive | 潰させられる（つぶさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 潰せば（つぶせば） |
| tara | 潰したら（つぶしたら） |
| Volitional | 潰そう（つぶそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 潰しましょう（つぶしましょう） |
| Imperative | 潰せ（つぶせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
卵が潰れる
卵を潰す
潰れる focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 卵が潰れる; 潰す foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 卵を潰す.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym押しつぶすおしつぶすNeutralApplies force to press something flat or crush it; figuratively, to quash opposition. 「潰す」 is broader and also covers killing time.
- Synonym噛み砕くかみくだくNeutralTo chew something into pieces; figuratively, to explain something difficult in plain terms. Used differently from 「潰す」, which flattens or crushes.
- Synonym握りつぶすにぎりつぶすNeutralTo crush by squeezing in the hand; figuratively, to shelve a proposal and leave it unaddressed. 「潰す」 is broader.
- Synonymぶち壊すぶちこわすCasualColloquial: to smash things up or wreck an atmosphere or plan, with a rough, violent tone. 「潰す」 is more neutral.
- Synonymすり潰すすりつぶすNeutralTo grind back and forth into a paste or powder, as with sesame seeds. 「潰す」 deforms or breaks things by pressing or pounding, so the method differs.
- Synonymぶっ潰すぶっつぶすCasualColloquial: to smash or ruin something completely, with a rough tone and more force than 「潰す」.
- Synonym打ち砕くうちくだくNeutralTo strike something into pieces; figuratively, to shatter hopes. 「潰す」 works mainly by pressure or pounding, so the method differs.
- Synonym磨り砕くすりくだくWrittenWritten style: to grind something into powder by rubbing. 「潰す」 deforms or breaks by pressing or pounding, with no sense of grinding.
- Synonym叩き壊すたたきこわすNeutralTo break by striking, smashing something to pieces. 「潰す」 means flattening something or putting a business under.
- Synonym噛みしだくかみしだくWrittenWritten style and rare: to bite or chew something to pieces.
- Related取り壊すとりこわすNeutralTo demolish a building, as in 「家を取り壊す」. 「潰す」 can also mean flattening small objects.
- Related壊すこわすNeutralThe most general word for breaking or damaging something. 「潰す」 focuses on flattening things or putting companies out of business.
- Related取り崩すとりくずすNeutralTo tear down or demolish; also to dip into savings or reserves little by little, as in 「貯金を取り崩す」.
- Related破壊はかいWrittenA written, formal noun for destruction. 「潰す」 is more conversational.
- Related壊滅かいめつWrittenWritten style: complete destruction or annihilation, as in 「壊滅的被害」. Heavier in degree than 「潰す」.
- Related大破たいはWrittenWritten style: heavy, serious damage, as when a vehicle is badly wrecked in a crash. 「潰す」 means flattening or ruining.
- Related損なうそこなうNeutralTo harm or impair health or mood, focusing on damage. 「潰す」 focuses on crushing or flattening.
- Related毀つこぼつWrittenAn old word for destroying or damaging something; rarely used in modern Japanese.
- Related打ち壊すうちこわすCasualColloquial; also written 「打ち毀す」: to smash things up or wreck a plan, with strong force.
- Related圧砕あっさいWrittenWritten, technical term for crushing under pressure.
- Related取り拉ぐとりひしぐWrittenWritten style, rare: to crush, or figuratively to defeat.
- Relatedぶっ壊すぶっこわすCasualColloquial: to smash or break something up, with a coarse tone. 「潰す」 is more neutral.
- Related取り潰すとりつぶすWrittenWritten style: to dissolve or abolish a company or organization, as in 「お家取り潰し」. 「潰す」 is broader and also covers flattening things.
- Antonym立てるたてるNeutralTo stand up or establish; the opposite of 「潰す」 in the sense of bringing something down.
- Antonym作るつくるNeutralTo make or produce; the opposite of 「潰す」 in the sense of destroying.
- Antonym直すなおすNeutralTo repair or fix; the opposite of 「潰す」 in the sense of breaking.
Use 「潰す」 for flattening things, ruining a company, or killing time, as in 「暇を潰す」. For crushing under weight say 「押しつぶす」; for breaking things 「壊す」; for demolishing buildings 「取り壊す」; for grinding 「すり潰す」; for repairing 「直す」. The colloquial 「ぶち壊す」 and 「ぶっ壊す」 sound rougher, while 「破壊」 and 「壊滅」 are written, formal nouns.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
