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.
靴ひもがほどけた。
My shoelace came untied.
リボンがほどけそうだ。
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.
結び目が自然に解けた。
The knot came untied by itself.
When something wrapped around the body or an object loosens.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to become loose' or 'to slacken'. Used for belts, screws, tension, etc.
ベルトが緩んでいた。
My belt had come loose.
帯が緩まないようにしっかり締めてください。
Tighten the obi firmly so it doesn't come loose.
Also used for sashes or obi when the knot itself comes undone.
When something tied for securing or fastening loosens or unties.
General term for knots untying.
ロープがほどけて荷物が落ちた。
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.
Used for hair that was tied up and comes loose.
髪がほどけて肩にかかった。
My hair came loose and fell over my shoulders.
Means 'to collapse' or 'to become disheveled'. Used for hairstyles losing their shape.
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.
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.
帯がほどけてしまった。
My obi came untied.
結び目が解けた。
The knot came undone.
お団子が崩れてきた。
My bun is coming undone.