Translation guide
How to express the concept of a severe breakdown or failure of an economy in Japanese, from formal economic terms to everyday expressions.
Referring to a severe downturn or failure of an economy as a whole.
The most direct and common term for 'economic collapse'. Used in news and formal contexts.
その国は経済崩壊の危機に瀕している。
That country is on the verge of economic collapse.
Emphasizes the failure or bankruptcy aspect of an economy. Often used for national or systemic failure.
経済破綻を避けるために改革が必要だ。
Reforms are necessary to avoid economic collapse.
Means 'economic crisis'. Slightly broader, but often used in contexts of potential or ongoing collapse.
世界的な経済危機が懸念されている。
A global economic crisis is feared.
Specifically referring to the breakdown of financial institutions or markets.
Direct term for financial collapse, focusing on banks, stock markets, etc.
金融崩壊が実体経済に波及した。
The financial collapse spread to the real economy.
Financial crisis. Often used interchangeably with financial collapse in news.
A sudden dramatic decline in stock or asset prices.
Means 'crash' or 'plunge', used for stock markets, currencies, etc. Often combined with 株価 (stock prices) or 市場 (market).
株価が暴落した。
Stock prices crashed.
Loanword from English 'crash'. Used in financial contexts, often for specific markets.
A prolonged period of economic decline, often associated with collapse.
Means 'recession' or 'depression'. Often used in phrases like 大不況 (great depression).
世界恐慌以来の大不況だ。
It's the worst depression since the Great Depression.
Specifically means 'panic' or 'depression', as in the Great Depression (世界恐慌). Implies a severe, widespread collapse.
When a particular industry or business fails completely.
Means 'bankruptcy' for a company. Not for whole economies, but often used in economic collapse contexts.
その企業は経済危機で倒産した。
The company went bankrupt due to the economic crisis.
Can be used for the collapse of a sector, e.g., 産業の崩壊 (collapse of an industry).
経済崩壊 (けいざいほうかい) is the most general term for economic collapse, implying a breakdown of the economic system. 経済破綻 (けいざいはたん) emphasizes the failure to meet obligations or sustain itself, often used for national economies or policies. In many contexts they are interchangeable, but 破綻 carries a nuance of bankruptcy or insolvency.
経済崩壊は社会不安を引き起こす。
Economic collapse causes social unrest.
財政破綻が経済破綻につながった。
Fiscal bankruptcy led to economic collapse.
While 崩壊 (ほうかい) is the direct translation of 'collapse', using it alone without context may be ambiguous. Always specify what is collapsing (e.g., 経済, 金融). Also, for market crashes, 暴落 (ぼうらく) is more natural than 崩壊.
市場が崩壊した。
The market collapsed. (possible but less common than 暴落)
2008年の金融危機は世界経済に大きな影響を与えた。
The 2008 financial crisis had a major impact on the global economy.
仮想通貨市場がクラッシュした。
The cryptocurrency market crashed.
経済は恐慌状態に陥った。
The economy fell into a state of depression.
観光産業の崩壊が地域経済を直撃した。
The collapse of the tourism industry hit the local economy directly.