Translation guide
The English word 'tear' has two main meanings: the noun meaning a drop of liquid from the eye, and the verb meaning to rip or pull apart. These are completely different words in Japanese, so it's important to distinguish them by context.
Expressing the liquid that comes from the eyes when crying or due to irritation.
The standard word for 'tear' or 'tears'. Can be used in most contexts.
Expressing the action of pulling something apart or damaging it by pulling, or becoming damaged in this way.
Expressing rapid movement, often in the phrase 'tear along' or 'tear off'.
Formal or literary verb meaning to sprint or dash. Can be used for 'tear along' in a descriptive sense.
車が道路を疾走した。
The car tore along the road.
破る (yaburu) is transitive (you tear something), while 破れる (yabureru) is intransitive (something tears). Using the wrong one can change the meaning or sound unnatural.
紙を破る (OK) vs. 紙が破る (wrong)
I tear the paper vs. The paper tears (should be 紙が破れる)
破る (yaburu) is general tearing/ripping, often for paper or flat objects. 裂く (saku) implies tearing along a line or seam, often for cloth. ちぎる (chigiru) means tearing into small pieces by hand, like bread or lettuce.
彼女の目に涙が浮かんだ。
Tears welled up in her eyes.
涙を拭いてください。
Please wipe your tears.
Used in compound words and set phrases.
彼は涙もろい人です。
He is easily moved to tears.
Literally 'tears come out', a common way to say 'to cry' or 'tears flow'.
感動して涙が出た。
I was so moved that tears came to my eyes.
Literally 'to shed tears', a slightly more formal or literary expression.
彼は悲しみの涙を流した。
He shed tears of sadness.
Transitive verb meaning to tear, rip, or break something like paper, cloth, or a promise. Focuses on the result of damaging the object.
彼は手紙を破った。
He tore up the letter.
うっかりしてページを破ってしまった。
I accidentally tore a page.
Intransitive verb meaning to be torn, ripped, or broken. Describes the state of something becoming torn.
この紙はすぐに破れる。
This paper tears easily.
ポケットが破れている。
My pocket is torn.
Transitive verb meaning to tear, rip, or split something, often along a seam or grain. Implies a clean or forceful tear.
彼は布を裂いた。
He tore the cloth.
Intransitive verb meaning to be torn, split, or rent. Often used for fabric or skin.
シャツが裂けた。
My shirt got torn.
Transitive verb meaning to tear apart, rip up, or rend. Emphasizes pulling forcefully in different directions.
彼は怒って手紙を引き裂いた。
He angrily tore the letter to pieces.
Transitive verb meaning to tear off, shred, or break into small pieces, often by hand. Common for paper or bread.
パンをちぎって食べた。
I tore off a piece of bread and ate it.
Literally 'run at furious speed', a more colloquial way to express tearing along.
彼は猛スピードで走り去った。
He tore off at breakneck speed.