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崩壊する
hōkai suru
collapse
地震でダムが崩壊する可能性がある。
There is a risk that the dam will collapse due to the earthquake.
general
to collapse or fall apart physically
古い建物が崩壊した。
The old building collapsed.
氷山が崩壊する。
The iceberg collapses.
Often used for structures, natural formations, or systems breaking down.
psychology
to break down mentally or emotionally
ストレスで心が崩壊する。
The mind collapses under stress.
Used metaphorically for a person's mental state deteriorating.
Business
to collapse in a systematic or organizational sense
会社が崩壊する。
The company collapses.
Refers to a business, government, or institution failing.
Pro Tip
Distinguish from 崩れる
崩壊する emphasizes a complete and often sudden collapse, while 崩れる can refer to partial or gradual disintegration (e.g., 雪崩れる 'avalanche').
Word Origin
From 崩 (hō, 'to collapse') + 壊 (kai, 'to break') + する (suru, 'to do'). The compound verb emphasizes the sudden and complete nature of the collapse.
Usage Notes
Used in both literal (physical collapse) and figurative (systemic/organizational failure) contexts. In formal writing, it often implies a sudden and irreversible breakdown.
Word Breakdown
崩
collapse
root壊
break
rootする
to do
suffix和英辞典