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寸断 (すんだん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
cut to pieces ; tear to shreds ; shred
Describes cutting or tearing something into many small pieces, often used for physical destruction or figurative severing (e.g., roads, networks). Commonly used with する.
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The roads were cut to pieces by the earthquake.
Kanji 寸 measurement, tenth of a shaku, a little 断 severance, decline, refuse Similar words 切せつ 断だん 切断 means cutting off or severing in one clean cut, while 寸断 implies cutting into many small fragments.
粉ふん 砕さい 粉砕 means pulverizing or crushing into powder, whereas 寸断 focuses on cutting into small pieces rather than grinding.
Etymology Compound of 寸 (small measure) and 断 (cut, sever), literally 'cut into small pieces'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparent from the kanji.
