断だん絶ぜつ

だ

ん

ぜ

つ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

断絶する · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	断だん絶ぜつする	断だん絶ぜつしない
Polite	断だん絶ぜつします	断だん絶ぜつしません
Past polite	断だん絶ぜつしました	断だん絶ぜつしませんでした
Past	断だん絶ぜつした	断だん絶ぜつしなかった
Te-form	断だん絶ぜつして	断だん絶ぜつしないで
Desire	断だん絶ぜつしたい	断だん絶ぜつしたくない
Potential	断だん絶ぜつできる	断だん絶ぜつできない
Passive	断だん絶ぜつされる	断だん絶ぜつされない
Causative	断だん絶ぜつさせる	断だん絶ぜつさせない
Causative passive	断だん絶ぜつさせられる	断だん絶ぜつさせられない
Volitional	断だん絶ぜつしよう
Polite volitional	断だん絶ぜつしましょう
Imperative	断だん絶ぜつしろ	断だん絶ぜつするな
Conditional	断だん絶ぜつすれば	断だん絶ぜつしなければ
Tara conditional	断だん絶ぜつしたら	断だん絶ぜつしなかったら

Meanings

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

extinction; dying out; discontinuation

Used for the complete cessation of a lineage, species, tradition, or continuous state. Often formal or written.

その家か系けいは断だん絶ぜつしてしまった。
That family line has died out.
伝でん統とうが断だん絶ぜつする危き機きにある。
The tradition is in danger of dying out.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb

severance; rupture; breaking off; generation gap

Covers cutting off relations, breaking connections, or a gap between generations. Can be used both transitively and intransitively.

両りょう国こくは国こっ交こうを断だん絶ぜつした。
The two countries severed diplomatic relations.
親おや子この断だん絶ぜつが深しん刻こくな問もん題だいになっている。
The generation gap between parents and children has become a serious problem.

See all 20 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉と〈事こと〉が断だん絶ぜつするfor a relationship or connection with someone to be severed
彼かれとは長なが年ねんの友ゆう情じょうが断だん絶ぜつした。
My long friendship with him came to an end.
世せ代だいの断だん絶ぜつa generation gap
親おや子この間あいだには世せ代だいの断だん絶ぜつがある。
There is a generation gap between parents and children.
血けっ統とうが断だん絶ぜつするfor a bloodline or lineage to die out
その家いえの血けっ統とうは江え戸ど時じ代だいに断だん絶ぜつした。
That family's line died out during the Edo period.
〈国くに〉と国こっ交こうを断だん絶ぜつするto sever diplomatic relations with a country
両りょう国こくは国こっ交こうを断だん絶ぜつした。
The two countries severed diplomatic relations.

Kanji

断severance, decline, refuse
絶discontinue, sever, cut off

Transitive / intransitive

断絶 can be used both transitively and intransitively: 政府は国交を断絶した (transitive: 'the government severed diplomatic relations') and 国交が断絶した (intransitive: 'diplomatic relations were severed').

Related words· 8

絶ぜつ滅めつN3sense 1
絶滅 refers specifically to the biological extinction of a species, while 断絶 is broader and can describe the dying-out of a lineage, tradition, or continuous state.
断だん交こう sense 2
断交 specifically means breaking off diplomatic or personal relations, whereas 断絶 can describe any kind of severance, gap, or discontinuation.
途と絶ぜつ
途絶 emphasizes a sudden interruption of communication, traffic, or a flow of something, while 断絶 more often describes a complete, lasting severance or gap.
消しょう滅めつN1sense 1
消滅 means something fades away or vanishes entirely, while 断絶 stresses an abrupt cutting-off of a line, tradition, or relationship rather than gradual disappearance.

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途と絶だえ
断絶 implies a complete and often permanent severing of ties or connection, whereas 途絶え suggests a temporary lapse that may resume.
乖かい離り
断絶 describes a complete break or severance, whereas 乖離 describes a gradual drifting apart or widening gap.
絶ぜつ縁えん
断絶 is often used for ending diplomatic relations or a family lineage's continuity, whereas 絶縁 is more personal, typically describing a deliberate, final break with a person or group.
決けつ別べつ
断絶 emphasizes the severing of ties or continuity (e.g. between generations or nations), while 決別 centers on a deliberate personal farewell.

Opposites

継けい続ぞくN2sense 1
継続 means something continues uninterrupted, the opposite of 断絶, which means it is cut off or dies out.
疎そ通つうN1
断絶 means a severing or breakdown of relations or communication, the opposite of the smooth flow implied by 疎通.
つながりN2
断絶 means a severance or complete break of a relationship, the opposite of つながり, which is the existence of a connection.
結むすび付つきN1
断絶 means a severing or breaking off of ties, the opposite of the connection expressed by 結び付き.

Don't confuse with

絶ぜっ交こうN1sense 2
絶交 specifically means cutting off a friendship with a particular person, while 断絶 is broader and can apply to relations, lineages, traditions, or diplomatic ties.
断だん続ぞく
断絶 (severance, complete cutting-off) looks and sounds similar to 断続 but means a permanent break rather than repeated on-and-off occurrence.

Word family

国こっ交こう断だん絶ぜつ
severance of diplomatic relations; diplomatic break

Etymology

Compound of 断 (cut off, sever) and 絶 (discontinue, extinct). The combination conveys a complete break or cessation.