Translation guide
The English word "collapse" covers physical falling down, structural failure, medical loss of consciousness, and figurative breakdown. Japanese uses different words for each context.
When a person suddenly falls to the ground, often due to illness, exhaustion, or injury.
General term for a person falling down, often from fainting, exhaustion, or being knocked over. Intransitive.
彼は疲れ果てて倒れた。
He collapsed from exhaustion.
駅で突然倒れた人がいた。
Someone suddenly collapsed at the station.
To faint or lose consciousness suddenly. More specific than 倒れる.
彼女はその知らせを聞いて卒倒した。
She collapsed upon hearing the news.
To crumble and fall, used for a person collapsing in a heap, often dramatically.
彼はその場に崩れ落ちた。
He collapsed on the spot.
When a man-made structure falls down or gives way.
Collapse of a structure, system, or society. Implies breaking apart and falling down.
地震で多くの建物が崩壊した。
Many buildings collapsed in the earthquake.
橋が突然崩壊した。
The bridge suddenly collapsed.
Specifically for buildings or structures falling over or collapsing, often due to external force like earthquakes.
古い家屋が倒壊した。
The old house collapsed.
To cave in or sink, used for ground, roads, or ceilings collapsing inward.
道路が陥没して大きな穴ができた。
The road collapsed, creating a large hole.
When someone faints or loses consciousness due to a medical condition.
To lose consciousness; faint. Medical term.
彼は痛みで失神した。
He collapsed from the pain.
To lose consciousness; more common in everyday speech than 失神する.
彼女は暑さで気を失った。
She collapsed from the heat.
To lose consciousness; slightly more formal than 気を失う.
患者は突然意識を失った。
The patient suddenly collapsed.
When a system, organization, or plan fails completely.
Used for systems, economies, governments, or relationships breaking down.
経済が崩壊した。
The economy collapsed.
彼の計画は完全に崩壊した。
His plan completely collapsed.
To go bankrupt; to fail; to collapse (of a system, plan, or relationship). Often used for financial or organizational failure.
To fall apart; to collapse (of an organization or system). Literally 'roof tile breaking', implies complete disintegration.
政権が瓦解した。
The administration collapsed.
To fold something into a compact form.
To fold up (a chair, umbrella, map, etc.). Transitive.
椅子を折りたたんでください。
Please collapse the chair.
彼は傘を折りたたんだ。
He collapsed the umbrella.
Foldable; collapsible (adjective).
折りたたみ式のテーブルを買った。
I bought a collapsible table.
When a hollow organ or container loses air/contents and flattens.
倒れる is for people or upright objects falling over. 崩壊する is for structures or systems breaking apart and falling down. Do not use 倒れる for buildings unless they tip over intact.
Do not use 崩壊する for a person fainting. It sounds like they crumbled into pieces. Use 倒れる or 失神する instead.
彼は床に倒れた。
He collapsed on the floor.
雪の重みで屋根が崩壊した。
The roof collapsed under the weight of the snow.
和平交渉は崩壊した。
The peace talks collapsed.