Readings: ハ (Onyomi), やぶ.る, やぶ.れる (Kunyomi)
Meaning: tear, break, destroy, defeat
The kanji 破 combines 石 (stone) and 皮 (skin, or to break open). The 皮 component also serves a phonetic role, indicating a sound similar to “ha” and the meaning of breaking or tearing. Conceptually, it represents breaking something hard like a stone, or breaking through a surface, leading to its meanings of tearing, breaking, or destroying.
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 破 consists of 10 strokes. The left radical is 石 (stone), followed by the 皮 component on the right. Pay attention to the correct stroke order for both parts to ensure proper writing.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 石 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 10 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 6 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ハ (Ha)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- やぶ.る (yabu.ru)
- やぶ.れる (yabu.reru)
Common Words Using 破
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 破壊 | はかい | destruction |
| 破産 | はさん | bankruptcy |
| 突破 | とっぱ | breakthrough, surmounting |
| 破裂 | はれつ | burst, rupture |
| 破棄 | はき | cancellation, rejection |
| 打破 | だは | break down, overcome |
| 読破 | どくは | read through |
| 破局 | はきょく | catastrophe, breakup |
| 破格 | はかく | exceptional, unprecedented |
| 破廉恥 | はれんち | shamelessness |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 破る | やぶる | to tear, to break, to defeat |
| 破れる | やぶれる | to be torn, to be broken, to be defeated |
| 紙を破る | かみをやぶる | to tear paper |
| 記録を破る | きろくをやぶる | to break a record |
| 約束を破る | やくそくをやぶる | to break a promise |
| 敵を破る | てきをやぶる | to defeat an enemy |
| 服が破れる | ふくがやぶれる | clothes get torn |
| 風船が破れる | ふうせんがやぶれる | a balloon bursts |
| 夢が破れる | ゆめがやぶれる | a dream is shattered |
| 壁を破る | かべをやぶる | to break through a wall |
Example Sentences
Japanese: シャツが破れてしまった。
Kana: シャツがやぶれてしまった。
Romaji: Shatsu ga yaburete shimatta.
English: My shirt got torn.
Japanese: 彼は古い記録を破った。
Kana: かれはふるいきろくをやぶった。
Romaji: Kare wa furui kiroku o yabutta.
English: He broke the old record.
Japanese: 約束を破ってはいけません。
Kana: やくそくをやぶってはいけません。
Romaji: Yakusoku o yabutte wa ikemasen.
English: You must not break promises.
Japanese: 敵の攻撃を打ち破った。
Kana: てきのこうげきをうちやぶった。
Romaji: Teki no kōgeki o uchiyabutta.
English: We defeated the enemy’s attack.
Japanese: この紙は簡単に破れます。
Kana: このかみはかんたんにやぶれます。
Romaji: Kono kami wa kantan ni yaburemasu.
English: This paper tears easily.
Japanese: 彼女は困難を乗り越えて自己の殻を破った。
Kana: かのじょはこんなんをのりこえてじこのからをやぶった。
Romaji: Kanojo wa konnan o norikoete jiko no kara o yabutta.
English: She overcame difficulties and broke out of her shell.
Japanese: 試合に破れて悔しかった。
Kana: しあいにやぶれてくやしかった。
Romaji: Shiai ni yaburete kuyashikatta.
English: It was frustrating to lose the game.
Japanese: ついに壁を突破した。
Kana: ついにかべをとっぱした。
Romaji: Tsui ni kabe o toppa shita.
English: We finally broke through the wall.
Japanese: 彼の会社は破産寸前だ。
Kana: かれのかいしゃははさんすんぜんだ。
Romaji: Kare no kaisha wa hasan sunzen da.
English: His company is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Japanese: 古い習慣を打ち破る必要がある。
Kana: ふるいしゅうかんをうちやぶるひつようがある。
Romaji: Furui shūkan o uchiyaburu hitsuyō ga aru.
English: It’s necessary to break old customs.
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