Kanji 壊: demolition, break, destroy

Key takeaways

Kanji 壊: demolition, break, destroy. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

壊

Meaning

demolitionbreakdestroy

On reading

カイエ

Kun reading

こわ.すこわ.れるやぶ.る

Radical

土

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 壊

demolition, break, destroy

Kanji structure breakdown

壊

Structure breakdown

土 + 十 + 罒 + 衣

Mnemonic story

Imagine ten (十) nets (罒) and clothes (衣) all tangled up and broken on the ground (土). Visualizing these items being ruined and discarded in a pile of earth helps you remember the meaning 'to break' or 'destroy.'

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

カイ

破壊はかい
destruction / damage / breaking
崩壊ほうかい
collapse / breakdown / crumbling

Kun reading

こわ.す

壊すこわす
to break / to destroy
壊れるこわれる
to be broken / to break

Commonly used words

破壊
はかい
destruction / damage / breaking
崩壊
ほうかい
collapse / breakdown / crumbling
壊す
こわす
to break / to destroy
壊れる
こわれる
to be broken / to break

Example sentences

Example 1

台風で家が破壊された。

Translation

The house was destroyed by the typhoon.

Example 2

その機械は簡単に破壊される。

Translation

That machine is easily broken.

Example 3

地震で建物が崩壊した。

Translation

The building collapsed due to the earthquake.

Example 4

政治の崩壊は社会に影響を与える。

Translation

The collapse of politics affects society.

Kanji 壊: demolition, break, destroy

Kanji at a glance

Core meaning / core image

Kanji structure breakdown

Mnemonic story

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

Kun reading

Commonly used words

Example sentences

破壊 (はかい): meaning and examples

崩壊 (ほうかい): meaning and examples

壊す (こわす): meaning and examples

壊れる (こわれる): meaning and examples