解散

かいさん

breakup, dissolution

JLPT N2

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"解散" (かいさん) primarily means "breakup" or "dissolution" and is used to describe the ending or disbanding of groups, meetings, or organizations. It can refer to formal dissolutions, such as a meeting ending, or informal ones, like a band breaking up.

Common Contexts

You will often see "解散" used with meetings (会議), bands (バンド), crowds (群衆), or political parties. It is a neutral term and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 会議が解散する: a meeting ends or is dissolved
  • バンドが解散する: a band breaks up
  • 群衆に解散を命じる: order a crowd to disperse

Nuances

When used for groups like bands or organizations, "解散" implies a permanent or official end. For crowds, it means to disperse temporarily. Learners should not confuse "解散" with "終了" (しゅうりょう), which means "end" but is more general and less about disbanding.

Common Mistake

Avoid using "解散" for things that simply finish or end without disbanding, such as a class or a movie. Instead, use "終了" or "終わる" for those cases.

Example Sentences

かいぎはごごごじにかいさんしました。

The meeting was dissolved at 5 PM.

ばんどがかいさんしてしまって、もうあたらしいきょくはきけません。

The band broke up, so we can no longer hear new songs.

けいさつはぐんしゅうにかいさんをめいじた。

The police ordered the crowd to disperse.