Japanese word

解体

Pronunciation

Romajikaitai

Meaning

  • noundemolition

Example

古い家の解体は来月です。furu i ie no kai tai wa rai getsu de su

The demolition of the old house is next month.

Illustration for 解体 (demolition)

More examples

解体業者は作業前に電気とガスを止めます。kai tai gyō sha wa sa gyō mae ni den ki to ga su o to me ma su

Before starting work, the demolition contractor will shut off the electricity and gas.

Core concept

It describes removing the parts that hold a structure, machine, or organized whole together until the original whole no longer remains.

Common phrases

  • 家屋の解体ka oku no kai tai

    house demolition

  • 解体許可kai tai kyo ka

    demolition permit

  • 解体業者kai tai gyō sha

    demolition contractor

  • 解体作業kai tai sa gyō

    demolition work

Similar words

取り壊しtorikowashi: The act of taking a building apart so that it no longer remains.
分解bunkai: The act of separating a machine or object into its individual parts.

Definition in Japanese

建物や機械などを壊したり分解したりして、もとの形をなくすこと。tate mono ya ki kai na do o kowa shi ta ri bun kai shi ta ri shi te mo to no katachi o na ku su ko to

Word origin

解体 (kaitai) is a Sino-Japanese compound formed from 解 (kai, "loosen or separate") and 体 (tai, "body or form"), giving the sense of separating a whole into parts.

Usage tips

  • A building can be 解体 (kaitai) even when it is carefully taken apart rather than simply smashed, which helps distinguish the word from a purely destructive sense of "demolition."

Other meanings

  • dismantlingnoun
  • disassemblynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 解体するkaitaisurudemolishverb
  • 解体屋kaitaiyademolition contractornoun

Word lists with this word