瓦解|がかいgakai[0]heiban (flat)

Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbcollapse; downfall
Conjugation
Dictionary form瓦解する(がかいする)
Polite (masu)瓦解します(がかいします)
Negative (nai)瓦解しない(がかいしない)
polite (masen)瓦解しません(がかいしません)
classical zu / nu瓦解せず・瓦解せぬ(がかいせず・がかいせぬ)
Past (ta)瓦解した(がかいした)
polite (mashita)瓦解しました(がかいしました)
Past negative (nakatta)瓦解しなかった(がかいしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)瓦解しませんでした(がかいしませんでした)
Te form瓦解して(がかいして)
Potential瓦解できる(がかいできる)
Passive瓦解される(がかいされる)
Causative瓦解させる(がかいさせる)
Causative passive瓦解させられる(がかいさせられる)
Conditional (ba)瓦解すれば(がかいすれば)
tara瓦解したら(がかいしたら)
Volitional瓦解しよう(がかいしよう)
polite (mashou)瓦解しましょう(がかいしましょう)
Imperative瓦解しろ(がかいしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym崩壊ほうかいNeutralNeutral and broader in scope than 「瓦解」: used for buildings caving in and for organizations collapsing, and it also covers radioactive decay.
  • Synonym崩れ去るくずれさるWrittenWritten/formal prose: something crumbles away until nothing remains; used mostly for abstract things such as beliefs or dreams.
  • Related倒壊とうかいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Strictly for buildings toppling down — a staple of earthquake reporting — and never used for organizations.
  • Related崩れるくずれるNeutralAn everyday verb: things crumble, but it also covers shapes, postures or states falling into disarray, as in 「天気が崩れる」.
  • Related崩れ落ちるくずれおちるNeutralFor piled-up things breaking apart and tumbling down; the emphasis is on the concrete, physical downward collapse.
  • Related潰れるつぶれるNeutralMore direct than 「瓦解」 and common in speech: things get crushed or squashed, and it is the everyday word for a company going under.
  • Related全壊ぜんかいNeutralTotal destruction of a building or house; the standard term in disaster damage statistics, and not applied to organizations.
  • Related崩落ほうらくWrittenWritten/formal prose, common in the news: mountainsides, tunnels and the like cave in, and it also refers to a sudden market crash.
  • Related潰えるついえるWrittenA written, literary word for dreams or plans falling through and armies being routed; often seen as 「夢が潰える」.
  • Antonym統合とうごうNeutralAntonym: combining two or more things into one — the opposite of 「瓦解」, where an organization falls to pieces.
  • Antonym結束けっそくNeutralAntonym: like-minded people banding together for a common aim — the opposite of an organization falling apart from within.
  • Antonym団結だんけつNeutralA common everyday antonym: many people uniting as one toward a goal — the opposite of an organization scattering.

「瓦解」 and 「崩壊」 both describe an organization or system falling apart. For buildings use 「倒壊」; in everyday speech 「崩れる」 and 「潰れる」 cover things crumbling and companies going under, and 「潰える」 is for dreams or plans that come to nothing. 「全壊」 is a building destroyed outright, 「崩落」 a cave-in or market crash, 「崩れ去る」 a belief fading away. Antonyms: 「統合」, 「結束」, 「団結」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 組織そしきの一部いちぶが壊こわれることで全体ぜんたいが壊こわれること。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

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