Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
別れ (わかれ, wakare) Japanese meaning: parting | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
寂さび
しい
。
Parting at the station is always sad.
He said farewell to his friends and set off on his journey.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 との 別わか れ parting from someone
Parting from her was very painful.
別わか れの 言こと 葉ば words of farewell
He left some parting words at the end.
突とつ 然ぜん の 別わか れ a sudden parting or breakup
She broke down in tears at the sudden breakup.
別わか れを 決けつ 意い する to resolve to break up (with someone)
After talking it over, the two of them decided to break up.
Expressions 別わか れを 惜お しむ hate to part; reluctant to say goodbye 会あ うは 別わか れの 始はじ め we meet only to part; meeting is the first step to parting Kanji 別 separate, branch off, diverge Related words 離別 is a more formal, often legal or literary term for separation, while 別れ is the everyday word for parting or a breakup.
決別 implies a firm, deliberate break with someone or something, whereas 別れ can be neutral or emotional without implying finality.
離婚 specifically means legal divorce, while 別れ can refer to any parting or the end of a relationship, married or not.
別れ is the common, everyday word for parting or separation, while 告別 is formal and often carries a final or ceremonial nuance.
別れ is the common, everyday word for a parting or farewell, while 一別 is a more formal, literary term often confined to set phrases like 一別以来.
Opposites 再会 means meeting again after a separation, the direct opposite of 別れ, which is the act of parting.
出会い means the meeting or coming together with someone, while 別れ means the parting or separation from them.
Don't confuse with 分かれ (from 分かれる, to branch or divide) sounds identical to 別れ but refers to a physical or abstract split, not an emotional parting from a person.
離れ is a suffix meaning a trend of moving away from or losing interest in something (e.g. 活字離れ), while 別れ means the act of parting from a person (e.g. 友人との別れ).
別れ means parting from a person (as in a farewell), while 物別れ specifically refers to negotiations or discussions ending without agreement.
Word family· 16 part; separate; say goodbye · break up; divorce; split up · lose (a loved one); be bereaved of
talk about breaking up; discussion of divorce or separation
at parting; on parting; when saying goodbye
Written forms 別わか れ Usage 97%
Standard kanji spelling for parting, separation, and farewell.
わかれ Usage 3%
ワカレ Usage <1%
Etymology Noun form of the verb 別れる (わかれる, 'to part'), derived from the kanji 別 (separation) and the native Japanese verb ending.
れ
lifelong separation; parting while alive
failure to reach agreement; breakdown in negotiations
Show 10 more parting; farewell
farewell party; goodbye gathering
parting of the ways; road after parting; way to the underworld
late frost; frost in late spring
separate; apart; dispersed
parting ways after a quarrel
divorce; separation of a married couple
tearful parting; parting in tears
a child dying before its parents
cause to break up; destroy a relationship