Translation guide
How to express 'cave-in' in Japanese, covering literal collapses and figurative breakdowns.
Describing a physical cave-in, such as in a mine, tunnel, or sinkhole.
Specifically refers to a cave-in or roof fall in a mine or tunnel. Common in news and technical contexts.
A cave-in accident occurred at the coal mine.
Refers to a sinkhole or ground subsidence, often used for road collapses or sinkholes.
The road caved in, creating a large hole.
General verb for 'collapse' or 'crumble'. Can be used for cave-ins but is less specific.
The tunnel caved in.
Verb form of 陥没, meaning 'to cave in' or 'to sink'.
The ground suddenly caved in.
Describing a person or organization yielding under pressure, or a plan failing.
Means 'to yield' or 'to surrender' under pressure. Used for people or groups giving in.
He caved in to the pressure.
Literally 'to break' or 'to snap', but idiomatically means 'to give in' or 'to compromise'. Common in casual speech.
Idiom meaning 'to throw in the towel' or 'to give up'. Implies admitting defeat after struggling.
Literally 'to fall' or 'to surrender', used for cities or fortresses falling, but can metaphorically mean a person's will collapsing.
落盤 is specifically for underground collapses like mines or tunnels, while 陥没 is for surface depressions like sinkholes or road collapses. Use 落盤 for mining accidents and 陥没 for ground subsidence.
Workers were trapped by a cave-in.
The road caved in due to heavy rain.
Do not use 落盤 or 陥没 for figurative 'cave-in' (giving in to pressure). These are physical collapses. Use 屈服する or 折れる instead.
He caved in to the demands.
彼はついに折れて、要求を受け入れた。
He finally caved in and accepted the demands.
彼は長時間の交渉に音を上げた。
He caved in after the long negotiations.
His spirit completely caved in.