Meaning

Primary

To Break

Alternatives

To Snap, To Fracture

Word Type

intransitive verb, ichidan verb

Explanation

You already learned how 折る means "to fold something" or "to break something". This is the intransitive version of that, which just means it has no object. You just folded something too far, and now it's starting to break.

Reading

おれる
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You learned this reading when you learned 折る, so you should know this one too!

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • 少し折れる

    to get folded a little

    ぽっきり折れる

    to break off with a snap

    すぐ折れる

    to break easily

Context Sentences

そんなことを言われると、心が折れるよ。

My heart breaks when you say that.

重い荷物をかたにかついで運んでいたら、かたの骨が折れてしまいました。

When I was carrying a heavy load on my shoulders, my shoulder bone fractured.

うちのチューリップ、毎年花が咲いた後、根元からポッキリ折れるんですよね。

Every year, our tulips snap at the roots after they bloom.

Kanji Composition