Meaning and Usage
The verb 潰れる (つぶれる) primarily means "to be crushed or smashed," but it also commonly refers to a business or plan "going bankrupt" or "failing." It can describe physical objects being flattened or destroyed, as well as abstract concepts like companies or even a person's condition collapsing.
Common Contexts
- Physical damage: Used when something solid is crushed or broken, like a box or fruit.
- Business failure: Often used to describe companies going bankrupt or shops closing down.
- Personal condition: Can express feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or about to collapse.
Collocations and Patterns
- 会社が潰れる (かいしゃがつぶれる): a company goes bankrupt
- 箱が潰れる (はこがつぶれる): a box gets crushed
- 体が潰れる (からだがつぶれる): body collapses or feels crushed
- 計画が潰れる (けいかくがつぶれる): a plan fails
Nuances and Tips
潰れる is an intransitive verb, so it describes the subject undergoing the action without an external agent. Learners sometimes confuse it with the transitive 潰す (つぶす), which means "to crush" or "to ruin" something actively. Remember, 潰れる focuses on the state of being crushed or ruined.
It is a versatile word useful in both everyday physical contexts and more abstract or business-related situations. The tone is generally neutral but can carry a negative nuance when referring to failure or collapse.