Translation guide
The English verb 'shatter' describes breaking something into many small pieces, often violently or suddenly. It can also mean destroying hopes, dreams, or silence. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for physical shattering and metaphorical uses.
To describe something like glass, pottery, or a hard object breaking violently into many small fragments.
The window glass shattered into tiny pieces.
The cup shattered when I dropped it.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to break into pieces, to be crushed, to be shattered'. Often implies breaking into smaller fragments than 割れる, sometimes with force.
The rock shattered into sand.
The vase fell on the floor and shattered.
Phrase meaning 'to be smashed to pieces, to be shattered into bits'. Emphasizes the completeness of the destruction.
The car collided with a truck and was shattered to pieces.
Transitive verb meaning 'to pulverize, to smash to pieces'. Often used in technical or violent contexts.
The machine shatters the stones.
To describe the sudden and complete destruction of abstract things like hopes, dreams, confidence, or an illusion.
Transitive verb meaning 'to shatter, to crush, to dash'. Commonly used with hopes, dreams, illusions.
The news shattered his hopes.
Transitive verb meaning 'to break, to crush, to shatter'. Can be used metaphorically for abstract things.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to collapse, to crumble'. Used when hopes or plans fall apart.
To describe a sudden loud noise that breaks a quiet atmosphere.
To break a record by a large margin or in a spectacular way.
割れる is the most common word for brittle objects breaking into pieces, like glass or pottery. 砕ける implies breaking into smaller fragments, often with more force, and can be used for rocks, bones, or abstract things. For glass shattering, 割れる is usually sufficient; 砕ける emphasizes the violence or completeness.
Avoid directly translating 'shatter' as 粉砕する in everyday conversation; it sounds technical or violent. Use 割れる or 砕ける for physical breaking, and 打ち砕く for metaphorical shattering.
現実が彼女の夢を打ち砕いた。
Reality shattered her dreams.
彼の言葉が私の自信を砕いた。
His words shattered my confidence.
彼の計画は一瞬で崩れた。
His plans shattered in an instant.
A sudden scream shattered the quiet.
The new record shattered the previous one.