Japanese

こわす
Meaning: to break; to destroy; to ruin (one's health)
Part of Speech: Verb

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 壊す 壊さない
Polite 壊します 壊しません
Past 壊した 壊さなかった
Polite + Past 壊しました 壊しませんでした
Te-form 壊して 壊さなくて
Potential 壊せる 壊せない
Passive 壊される 壊されない
Causative 壊させる 壊させない
Imperative 壊せ 壊すな

Handwriting

壊
す

Example sentences

He ruined his health by working too much.
彼は怒りに任せてドアをぶっ壊した。
He smashed the door in a fit of rage.
彼はハンマーを使って古い壁を壊した。
He used a hammer to break down the old wall.
壊した窓ガラスを弁償する。
I will compensate for the broken window glass.
古い祠を壊したせいで、神様の祟りがあると恐れられた。
People feared a curse from the gods because they destroyed the old shrine.
あまり働きすぎると、体を壊してしまいますよ。
If you overwork yourself too much, you'll ruin your health.
彼の意志は顚撲不破で何も壊せなかった
His will was unbreakable and nothing could destroy it.

Usage Notes

Can be used for physical objects, abstract concepts like plans, or physical health.

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.