1.
destruction, demolition
The act of physically breaking or destroying something such as buildings, structures, or objects.
建物を破壊する。
To destroy a building.
地震で多くの家屋が破壊された。
Many houses were destroyed by the earthquake.
戦争は都市を徹底的に破壊し、何も残らなかった。
The war thoroughly destroyed the city, leaving nothing behind.
2.
destruction, disruption
The figurative destruction or ruination of something abstract, such as relationships, trust, systems, or the environment.
信頼を破壊する。
To destroy trust.
環境破壊が深刻な問題になっている。
Environmental destruction has become a serious problem.
その発言は二人の関係を完全に破壊してしまった。
That remark completely destroyed the relationship between the two of them.
USAGE:
Used as a suru verb (破壊する = to destroy) or as a noun modifier (破壊力 = destructive power). Very commonly appears in the passive (破壊される = to be destroyed). The compound 環境破壊 (environmental destruction) is an extremely frequent set phrase.
KANJI:
破 means "to break" and 壊 means "to destroy." Both characters carry the meaning of destruction, making this a reinforcing compound.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 環境破壊: environmental destruction
- 破壊力: destructive power
- 破壊的: destructive
- 大量破壊兵器: weapons of mass destruction
- 自己破壊: self-destruction