砕(くだ)ける

くだける
verb (ichidan)
to break into pieces; to become informal
1. to break into pieces; to be smashed
For something hard to break apart or shatter into fragments.
氷(こおり)が細(こま)かく砕(くだ)けた。
The ice broke into small pieces.
波(なみ)が岩(いわ)に砕(くだ)ける。
Waves break against the rocks.
落(お)としたら皿(さら)が砕(くだ)けてしまった。
When I dropped it, the plate shattered.
2. to become informal; to relax
For an atmosphere or person to become more casual and relaxed.
砕(くだ)けた表現(ひょうげん)で話(はな)してください。
Please speak in casual language.
砕(くだ)けた雰囲気(ふんいき)のパーティーだった。
It was a party with a casual atmosphere.
最初(さいしょ)は緊張(きんちょう)していたが、だんだん雰囲気(ふんいき)が砕(くだ)けてきた。
At first we were tense, but gradually the atmosphere became more relaxed.

砕(くだ)ける is an intransitive verb (自動詞(じどうし)).

TRANSITIVITY:

  • Type: Intransitive (自動詞(じどうし))
  • Pair: 砕(くだ)く (transitive - to smash, crush)
  • Pattern: Xが砕(くだ)ける

ASPECT ({ている}):
砕(くだ)けている describes a result state (something is broken) or an ongoing casual atmosphere.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 波(なみ)が砕(くだ)ける (waves break)
  • 氷(こおり)が砕(くだ)ける (ice shatters)
  • 砕(くだ)けた雰囲気(ふんいき) (casual atmosphere)
  • 砕(くだ)けた表現(ひょうげん) (casual expression)

The figurative sense 2 is common in describing casual speech or relaxed social situations.

Related Words

Pair verb: 砕(くだ)く (transitive)
general
Added 2026.1.16 8:03 · Revised 2026.3.5 14:06
04500/04667_kudakeru