Translation guide
Describes a texture that easily breaks into small pieces or crumbs, like dry soil, shortbread, or feta cheese.
Describe a dry, brittle texture that crumbles when handled.
An onomatopoeic word describing something dry and brittle that crumbles or falls apart easily. Often used for food, soil, or old cloth.
This cookie is crumbly.
The soil dried out and became crumbly.
Means 'brittle' or 'fragile'. Can describe food that crumbles easily, but also applies to non-food items like rocks or relationships.
This cheese is crumbly and falls apart easily.
Similar to ぼろぼろ but often implies a lighter, more delicate crumbling, like a tender scone or shortbread.
This scone has a crumbly texture.
Literally 'easy to crumble'. A straightforward way to describe something that doesn't hold its shape.
This cake is crumbly, so be careful.
Focus on the tendency to leave crumbs, not just falling apart.
ぼろぼろ suggests a drier, coarser crumbling (like overbaked cookies), while ほろほろ implies a finer, more delicate crumble (like shortbread). Both are onomatopoeic and very natural.
This biscuit is crumbly (dry and coarse).
This cookie is crumbly (tender and fine).
There is no single Japanese adjective that perfectly matches 'crumbly'. Using もろい for food is acceptable but can sound slightly formal or technical. Onomatopoeic words like ぼろぼろ are more natural in conversation.