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Kotomora

裂

split, rend, tear

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • レツ

Kun'yomi

  • さ.く
  • さ.ける
  • -ぎ.れ

Meaning

裂 centers on forceful separation: splitting, rending, or tearing something apart. The idea applies to physical tearing as well as figurative splitting.

Most common words using 裂

20 of 112
  • 分裂ぶんれつ
    N1

    split; division; break up

  • 破裂はれつ
    N1

    bursting; rupture; explosion

  • 裂けるさける
    N1

    to split; to tear; to burst; to be separated; to be divided

  • 裂くさく
    N2

    to tear; to rip up

  • 炸裂さくれつ

    violent explosion; bursting

  • 亀裂きれつ

    crack; crevice; fissure; chap; rift

  • 爆裂ばくれつ

    exploding

  • 切り裂くきりさく

    to cut up; to split open; to rip to pieces; to tear to pieces

  • 決裂けつれつ

    breakdown (of talks, negotiations, etc.); breaking off; rupture

  • 支離滅裂しりめつれつ

    incoherent; inconsistent; illogical; disorderly; confused; nonsensical

  • 裂け目さけめ

    tear; rip; rent; slit; crack; chasm; rift

  • 核分裂かくぶんれつ

    nuclear fission

  • 八つ裂きやつざき

    tearing limb from limb; tearing apart; cutting (a person) to pieces

  • 引き裂くひきさく
    N1

    to tear up; to tear off; to rip up; to tear to pieces

  • 裂傷れっしょう

    laceration

  • 精神分裂病せいしんぶんれつびょう

    schizophrenia

  • 四分五裂しぶんごれつ

    torn asunder; disrupted and disorganized

  • 細胞分裂さいぼうぶんれつ

    cell division

  • かぎ裂きかぎざき

    rip; tear

  • 七花八裂しちかはちれつ

    being torn to pieces

Explore all words using 裂 →

Study

Etymology

裂 combines 列 (arrange, line up) with 衣 (clothing). The original idea likely involves cloth being torn or split along a line or seam.

Meaning mnemonic

The top 列 suggests a line or row, and the bottom 衣 is clothing. Imagine a piece of cloth being torn along a line: 裂 means to split or tear.

Reading mnemonic

For レツ, picture a piece of cloth being torn with a sharp 'rets' sound: rets -> レツ, and the fabric splits along the line.