Translation guide
How to say that something becomes unfastened, loosened, or undone in Japanese.
The most common use: a tied knot or bow loosens by itself.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to come untied' or 'to become undone'. Used for knots, shoelaces, bows, etc.
My shoelace came untied.
The ribbon looks like it's going to come untied.
Same as ほどける, but written with kanji. Often used for more abstract or formal contexts, but also for physical knots.
The knot came untied by itself.
When something wrapped around the body or an object loosens.
When something tied for securing or fastening loosens or unties.
General term for knots untying.
The rope came untied and the luggage fell.
Can also mean 'to be solved' or 'to be untied', but for physical untying ほどける is more common.
解ける (とける) is more often used for abstract things like 'a mystery is solved'. For physical untying, ほどける is preferred.
When tied-up hair becomes undone.
ほどける is specifically for knots or tied things coming completely undone. 緩む means something becomes loose but may not be completely untied. For shoelaces, ほどける is standard; for a belt, 緩む is more natural.
My shoelace came untied.
My necktie came loose.
For screws, nuts, or bolts that come loose, use 緩む (ゆるむ) or 外れる (はずれる), not ほどける.
Tighten the obi firmly so it doesn't come loose.
帯がほどけてしまった。
My obi came untied.
The knot came undone.
お団子が崩れてきた。
My bun is coming undone.