Translation guide
The English word 'apart' can express physical separation, emotional distance, breaking into pieces, or distinguishing between things. This guide covers natural Japanese ways to convey these meanings.
Describing things or people that are separated by distance, not together, or moved away from each other.
The most common way to say 'apart' in the sense of being separated by distance. Used with verbs like いる (to be) or 住む (to live).
We live apart.
The two towns are far apart.
Emphasizes that things or people are separate, not together. Often used for actions done separately.
They acted apart from each other.
Please send the luggage apart (separately).
Literally 'with a gap/interval'. Used when specifying a distance or spacing things apart.
Please arrange the desks apart (with space between them).
Describing something that falls apart, breaks apart, or comes apart into pieces.
Describes something breaking or falling into separate pieces. Often used with verbs like 壊れる (break) or なる (become).
The toy came apart.
The book fell apart.
Means 'to disassemble' or 'take apart'. Used for mechanical or intentional separation.
I took the clock apart.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to break' or 'to split apart'. Used for hard objects like glass or plates.
Describing relationships where people become less close or grow apart emotionally.
Being able to see the difference between two or more things, or to separate them conceptually.
Used to mean 'except for' or 'in addition to'.
Intentionally separating things or people, or setting something aside for a purpose.
Means 'to keep apart' or 'keep separated'. Used for physical objects or people.
Please keep hazardous materials apart from other items.
Means 'to keep separate' or 'set apart'. Often used for abstract things like accounts or categories.
I keep work and private life apart.
English uses 'apart' in many phrasal verbs (fall apart, take apart, tell apart). Japanese often uses a single verb or a different structure. For example, 'fall apart' is often just 壊れる (break) or ばらばらになる, not a direct translation of 'fall' + 'apart'.
The plate broke apart into pieces.
Lately I feel like we're growing apart.
この二つの花を見分けられますか？
Can you tell these two flowers apart?