Explore 破 in everyday actions and words for destruction. Learn each reading with a whole word and its context.

The idea

破 has 10 strokes; follow the linked diagram. 破れる（やぶれる） means something tears, while 破る（やぶる） takes an object: 手紙を破る. In 破壊（はかい）, 破 is read は.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
破れるやぶれるtear (intransitive)
破るやぶるtear; break a promise
破壊はかいdestruction

Examples

  • 紙かみが破やぶれました。The paper tore.
  • 私わたしは古ふるい手紙てがみを破やぶりました。I tore up the old letter.
  • 彼かれは約束やくそくを破やぶりました。He broke his promise.
  • 台風たいふうで建物たてものが破壊はかいされました。The building was destroyed by the typhoon.
  • 袋ふくろが破やぶれて、中身なかみが落おちました。The bag tore and its contents fell out.
  • 二人ふたりはルールを破やぶらないと約束やくそくしました。The two promised not to break the rules.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not interchange 破れる and 破る: 紙が破れる describes the paper tearing; 紙を破る describes someone tearing it. 破る also applies to promises and rules.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 破れる in hiragana.

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    やぶれる

    破れる is やぶれる: 紙が破れる means the paper tears, without naming an agent.

  2. Write the reading of 破壊 in hiragana.

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    はかい

    破壊 is はかい, meaning destruction. Learn the は reading in this complete compound.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿る（やぶる）［破／近］.

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    破

    破 completes 破る（やぶる）. It can mean tearing a letter or breaking a promise.

Use it today

Write 破 using the stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 破れる and 破壊, then make a sentence with 破る.