Translation guide
The English word "fracture" can refer to a broken bone, a crack in a hard material, or the act of breaking something. This guide covers how to express these meanings naturally in Japanese, focusing on medical, everyday, and technical contexts.
To refer to a broken bone, as in a medical condition or injury.
The standard medical and everyday term for a bone fracture. Can be used as a noun or with する to mean 'to fracture a bone'.
彼はスキーで足を骨折した。
He fractured his leg skiing.
骨折の治療には時間がかかる。
Treatment for a fracture takes time.
Refers to a hairline fracture or crack in a bone, less severe than a full break. Often used in casual contexts.
転んで、肋骨にひびが入った。
I fell and got a hairline fracture in my rib.
A common phrase meaning 'to break a bone'. Literally 'bone breaks'. Used for accidental fractures.
転んで手首の骨が折れた。
I fell and fractured my wrist.
To describe a crack or break in materials like glass, metal, rock, or plastic.
A crack or fissure in a solid object. Often used in technical or descriptive contexts.
壁に亀裂が入っている。
There is a crack in the wall.
地震で道路に亀裂が生じた。
The earthquake caused fractures in the road.
A crack, split, or fissure. More general than 亀裂 and can be used for everyday objects.
Damage or breakage, often used in formal or technical reports. Implies something is broken or damaged.
To describe the action of causing a fracture or break.
To break something long and slender, like a bone, stick, or pencil. Transitive verb.
彼は木の枝を折った。
He fractured the tree branch.
To smash or crush something into pieces. Used for hard materials like rocks or ice.
To split or break something into parts, like glass, eggs, or a watermelon. Transitive verb.
窓ガラスを割ってしまった。
I fractured the window glass.
骨折 (kossetsu) is the general medical term for a bone fracture, ranging from a crack to a complete break. ひび (hibi) specifically refers to a hairline crack or fissure, often less severe. In casual conversation, people might say ひびが入った (hibi ga haitta) for a minor fracture, but a doctor would use 骨折.
医者に「骨折ですね」と言われた。
The doctor said, 'It's a fracture.'
レントゲンでひびが見つかった。
They found a hairline fracture on the X-ray.
English often uses 'fracture' as a verb (e.g., 'He fractured his arm'), but Japanese typically uses the noun 骨折 with する (kossetsu suru) or the intransitive phrase 骨が折れる (hone ga oreru). Using a direct transitive verb like 骨折する is acceptable but less common than the noun form.
彼は腕を骨折した。
He fractured his arm. (natural)
彼の腕の骨が折れた。
His arm bone fractured. (also natural)
レントゲンで左足の骨折が確認された。
The X-ray showed a fracture in his left leg.
彼女は事故で頭蓋骨骨折を負った。
She suffered a skull fracture in the accident.
パイプに亀裂が入っている。
There is a fracture in the pipe.
彼は腕を骨折した。
He fractured his arm. (natural)
彼の腕の骨が折れた。
His arm bone fractured. (also natural)
A crack formed in the cup.
The accident was caused by a fracture in the machinery.
He fractured the rock with a hammer.