Translation guide
How to express that people, things, or abstract concepts are apart, divided, or no longer together in Japanese.
Describing that two or more people or objects are not together in space.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be separated', 'to be apart', or 'to become distant'. Focuses on the state of distance.
私たちは遠く離れている。
We are far apart.
駅から家が離れている。
The house is far from the station.
Na-adjective or adverb meaning 'separate' or 'individually'. Often used with になる or にする.
彼らは別々の部屋にいる。
They are in separate rooms.
会計は別々にしましょう。
Let's pay separately.
Na-adjective meaning 'separated' or 'apart', often with emotional nuance of being scattered or parted.
家族が離ればなれになった。
The family became separated.
Describing the end of a relationship or the disbanding of a group.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to part', 'to separate', or 'to break up'. Used for romantic relationships, friendships, or saying goodbye.
Suru verb meaning 'to disband' or 'to break up', used for groups, meetings, or organizations.
バンドが解散した。
The band broke up.
会議は5時に解散した。
The meeting broke up at 5 o'clock.
Describing that something is separated into components, categories, or pieces.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be divided', 'to split', or 'to branch off'. Focuses on the result of division.
道が二つに分かれている。
The road splits into two.
意見が分かれた。
Opinions were divided.
Passive form of 分ける (to divide), meaning 'to be separated' or 'to be divided' by someone or something.
ゴミは種類ごとに分けられる。
Trash is separated by type.
Passive of 区切る (to partition), meaning 'to be separated by boundaries or partitions'.
土地が小さく区切られている。
The land is divided into small plots.
Describing that ideas, roles, or categories are kept apart.
Passive of 区別する (to distinguish), meaning 'to be distinguished' or 'to be separated conceptually'.
公私は区別されるべきだ。
Public and private matters should be separated.
Passive of 切り離す (to cut off, to separate), meaning 'to be detached' or 'to be separated from a larger whole'.
その問題は本質から切り離せない。
That problem cannot be separated from the essence.
These three verbs are all read わかれる or はなれる but have distinct meanings. 離れる (はなれる) is for physical distance. 別れる (わかれる) is for people parting ways or breaking up. 分かれる (わかれる) is for things splitting into parts or branches. Pay attention to the kanji and context.
彼女と別れたが、まだ気持ちは離れていない。
I broke up with her, but my feelings haven't separated yet.
分ける (わける) is a transitive verb meaning 'to divide' or 'to separate something'. To express the state of being separated, use the intransitive 分かれる or the passive 分けられる.