Japanese word

崩壊

Pronunciation

Romajihōkai

Meaning

  • nouncollapse

Example

古い橋が崩壊しました。furu i hashi ga hō kai shi ma shi ta

The old bridge collapsed.

Illustration for 崩壊 (collapse)

More examples

この建物は古いため、崩壊の危険が高まっています。ko no tate mono wa furu i ta me hō kai no ki ken ga taka ma tte i ma su

Because this building is old, the risk of collapse is increasing.

Core concept

Shows something losing the structure that keeps it whole, from a physical object giving way to an institution ceasing to function.

Common phrases

  • 崩壊の危険hō kai no ki ken

    the risk of collapse

  • 崩壊の原因hō kai no gen in

    the cause of collapse

  • 突然の崩壊totsu zen no hō kai

    a sudden collapse

Similar words

倒壊tōkai: A structure falls down and loses its form completely.
崩落hōraku: A mass of earth, rock, or a structure falls from a higher place because it loses support.
破綻hatan: An organization, plan, or system stops working because its basis has failed.

Definition in Japanese

建物や制度などが、支えを失ってくずれ、もとの形や働きを失うこと。tate mono ya sei do na do ga sasa e o ushina tte ku zu re mo to no katachi ya hatara ki o ushina u ko to

Word origin

崩壊 (hōkai) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 崩 (hō, "collapse") and 壊 (kai, "break"), expressing the loss of an established form.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 崩壊 (hōkai) sounds more formal than "collapse," while the related verb 崩れる (kuzureru) is common for something physically coming down.

Other meanings

  • breakdownnoun
  • caving innoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 崩壊するhōkaisurucollapseverb

Word lists with this word