Translation guide
How to express 'crumple' in Japanese, covering actions like crushing paper, clothes wrinkling, and collapsing physically or emotionally.
To squeeze or crush something into a wrinkled or compact mass, typically with hands.
The most common verb for crumpling paper or fabric into a ball. Transitive.
紙を丸めてゴミ箱に捨てた。
I crumpled the paper and threw it in the trash.
To crush by gripping in the hand, often implying destruction or forceful crumpling.
彼は怒って手紙を握り潰した。
He crumpled the letter in anger.
To crumple or rumple something, making it wrinkled and messy. Often used for paper or clothes.
その手紙をくしゃくしゃにしてポケットに入れた。
He crumpled the letter and stuffed it into his pocket.
To become full of unwanted folds or creases, often unintentionally.
General intransitive phrase for getting wrinkled. Works for clothes, paper, skin.
このシャツはすぐにしわになる。
This shirt crumples easily.
To become crumpled or rumpled, often in a messy way.
スーツがくしゃくしゃになってしまった。
My suit got all crumpled.
To fall suddenly and heavily, often due to weakness, injury, or structural failure.
To collapse or crumble down, used for people fainting or structures falling apart.
彼はその場に崩れ落ちた。
He crumpled to the ground.
To fall over, collapse. More general, can be from fainting, being pushed, etc.
To suddenly lose control of one's emotions, often breaking down in tears or despair.
To break down crying, collapse in tears. Very common for emotional crumpling.
彼女は悲しみで泣き崩れた。
She crumpled with grief.
To be mentally crushed or overwhelmed. Less physical, more about giving up.
プレッシャーで精神的に参ってしまった。
I crumpled under the pressure.
To deform something by applying force, causing it to fold or bend inward.
To dent or crush inward. Transitive. Commonly used for car bodies or metal objects.
事故で車のボンネットがへこんだ。
The car's hood crumpled in the accident.
To crush by pressing, flatten. Can be used for crumpling a can or box.
丸める implies rolling or wadding into a ball shape, while くしゃくしゃにする focuses on making something wrinkled and messy, not necessarily spherical.
紙を丸める
crumple paper into a ball
紙をくしゃくしゃにする
crumple paper (messily)
English 'crumple' for emotional breakdown is not directly translated as 崩れる alone. Use 泣き崩れる or 精神的に参る for natural expression.
疲れ果ててベッドに倒れ込んだ。
Exhausted, I crumpled onto the bed.
空き缶を足で押し潰した。
I crumpled the empty can with my foot.