壊
demolition, break, destroy
Readings
On'yomi
- カイ
- エ
Kun'yomi
- こわ.す
- こわ.れる
- やぶ.る
Meaning
壊 centers on breaking something down physically or structurally: demolition, destruction, or breaking an object. The idea extends naturally to ruining or spoiling something.
Most common words using 壊
20 of 131- 破壊はかいN2
destruction; disruption
- 壊れるこわれるN4
to be broken; to break; to fall apart; to collapse; to be destroyed; to be damaged
- 崩壊ほうかいN1
collapse; crumbling; breaking down; caving in
- 壊すこわすN4
to break; to destroy; to demolish
- 壊滅かいめつ
(complete) destruction; annihilation; devastation
- 倒壊とうかい
destruction; collapse; crumbling
- 損壊そんかい
damage; destruction
- 決壊けっかい
burst (e.g. dam, embankment, levee); breach; collapse; washout; rupture
- ぶち壊しぶちこわし
destruction; demolition; smashing apart; tearing down
- 壊死えし
necrosis
- 取り壊しとりこわし
demolition; pulling down; destruction; dismantling
- ぶち壊すぶちこわす
to destroy; to break (by striking); to smash; to knock down
- 全壊ぜんかい
complete destruction
- 半壊はんかい
partial destruction
- 自壊じかい
disintegration
- 取り壊すとりこわす
to demolish; to tear down; to pull down
- 非破壊ひはかい
non-destructive
- 壊疽えそ
gangrene
- 打ち壊しうちこわし
destruction; demolition; smashing apart; tearing down
- 破壊的はかいてき
destructive; devastating
Study
Etymology
壊 is the modern simplified form of 壞. The older form combines 土 (earth) with 褱, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of breaking or ruining. The modern right side is a simplification.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 土 (earth) suggests something solid, while the right side looks like a structure (十 on top, ⺫ as a net or enclosure, and 衣 as clothing at the bottom). Imagine an earthquake breaking the earth and demolishing the structure, tearing the clothing at the bottom.
Reading mnemonic
For カイ, picture a demolition crew swinging a giant hammer and shouting 'KAI!' as they break the earth and structure apart: KAI -> カイ.