Translation guide
The English phrasal verb "break out" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses for learners: escaping, starting suddenly, developing a skin condition, and taking something out for use. Each meaning requires different Japanese expressions.
To escape from a place or situation, especially by force or suddenly.
General term for escaping from a confined space or dangerous situation. Often used for prison breaks, escaping a room, etc.
He broke out of prison.
To run away or escape, often implying fleeing from a place or situation. More casual than 脱出する.
When the fire started, everyone broke out of the building.
To slip out or break away from a group, routine, or situation. Often used for leaving a meeting or escaping a boring party.
I broke out of the meeting and had coffee outside.
Specifically for escaping from custody, like a prison or military confinement. More formal and dramatic.
The prisoner broke out.
For events like wars, fires, epidemics, or conflicts that begin abruptly.
The standard term for the outbreak of war, conflict, or large-scale unrest. Often used in news.
War broke out.
General term for occurrence or outbreak, used for fires, epidemics, accidents, etc. More neutral and common than 勃発する.
A fire broke out.
Very common verb for 'to happen' or 'to occur'. Suitable for everyday conversation about sudden events.
Simply 'to begin'. Can be used for events that break out, but less dramatic. Often with words like 戦争 (war) or パニック (panic).
To suddenly get a rash, pimples, hives, etc. on the skin.
Standard medical expression for 'to break out in a rash'. 発疹 means rash or eruption.
I broke out in a rash all over my body.
Specifically for pimples or acne breaking out. 吹き出物 means pimple or skin eruption.
I broke out in pimples from stress.
For breaking out in hives (urticaria). 蕁麻疹 is hives.
I broke out in hives from a food allergy.
To take something out of storage or a container in order to use it, often implying it was put away.
To take something out, often from a bag, pocket, or storage. General and useful.
He broke out his notebook from his bag.
To pull something out, often with a nuance of dragging it out from somewhere it was stored. More casual.
Simple verb meaning 'to take out' or 'to bring out'. Very common in daily speech.
The English phrasal verb 'break out' cannot be directly translated word-for-word into Japanese. You must choose the expression that matches the specific meaning (escape, start, skin, take out). Using 壊す (break) and 外 (out) will not make sense.
勃発する is used almost exclusively for wars, conflicts, and riots. 発生する is broader and covers fires, epidemics, accidents, etc. For a fight, 起こる is more natural than 勃発する in casual speech.
A fire broke out in the kitchen.
He broke out of jail.
I broke out in a rash after eating shrimp.
インフルエンザが発生した。
An influenza outbreak occurred.
突然、喧嘩が起こった。
Suddenly, a fight broke out.
パニックが始まった。
Panic broke out.
I broke out my winter coat from the closet.
Let's break out the snacks.