The Meaning of kowareru [壊れる] In Japanese

壊れる
こわれる
Romaji: kowareru N5

What does 壊れる mean?

Translation and Meaning

to break, to be broken, to be damaged, to be ruined

Definition

壊れる means to become broken or damaged; it describes the change of state when something loses its integrity or function due to impact, pressure, wear, or deterioration, and can apply to physical objects as well as abstract things like plans or emotions.

Type

verb (動詞・一段)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Physical breakage of a solid object due to impact, pressure, or wear
  • Damage that renders something unusable or defective
  • Malfunction or failure of a device or mechanism
  • Emotional or figurative collapse, such as a heart or spirits being broken
  • Figurative deterioration or spoiling of quality

Composition

  • 壊: meaning to break or destroy; the core semantic element in 壊れる
  • れ: part of the verb stem used to form the intransitive ru-verb; る: final verb ending; together 壊れ- + る creates 壊れる, meaning ‘to become broken’

Usage

Used in casual, neutral, and polite registers to describe that something has become broken or damaged. Common conjugations include 壊れます for polite speech and 壊れている to indicate a state of being broken; it is applicable to objects, structures, devices, and also to abstract concepts like plans or relationships.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: KO + WARE + RU helps you remember that 壊れる means to become broken. Visualize a fragile ware being knocked out (KO) and turning into broken ware.

Variations

  • 壊す (kowasu) – to break something intentionally
  • 破損する (hason suru) – to suffer damage or to be damaged
  • 割れる (wareru) – to crack or break into pieces
  • 心が壊れる (kokoro ga kowareru) – to have one’s heart broken emotionally
壊れる