There's a Japanese phrase: "scrap and build" (スクラップ＆ビルド) — tear down the old, build something new. Creation and destruction seem like opposites, but they're two sides of the same coin.
This article teaches you 20 kanji related to making, building, destroying, losing, and repairing — from creation to annihilation, and back to renewal.
Core Kanji Table
Creation & Building
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 作 | サク (saku) | つく (tsuku) | make | 作る (つくる, to make), 作品 (さくひん, work/piece) | Everyday "making" — cooking, crafting |
| 造 | ゾウ (zō) | つく (tsuku) | manufacture | 造る (つくる, to build), 製造 (せいぞう, manufacturing) | Large-scale: shipbuilding, factories |
| 建 | ケン (ken) | た (ta) | construct | 建てる (たてる, to build), 建設 (けんせつ, construction) | For buildings and structures |
| 設 | セツ (setsu) | もう (mō) | establish | 設ける (もうける, to set up), 設計 (せっけい, design) | Design and infrastructure |
| 植 | ショク (shoku) | う (u) | plant | 植える (うえる, to plant), 植物 (しょくぶつ, plant) | Creating life by planting |
| 育 | イク (iku) | そだ (soda) | raise | 育てる (そだてる, to raise), 教育 (きょういく, education) | 育てる = nurture, cultivate |
| 産 | サン (san) | う (u) | produce | 産む (うむ, to give birth), 生産 (せいさん, production) | 産む = give birth; 生産 = production |
Destruction & Loss
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 破 | ハ (ha) | やぶ (yabu) | break | 破る (やぶる, to tear), 破壊 (はかい, destruction) | 破る = tear, break a record |
| 壊 | カイ (kai) | こわ (kowa) | destroy | 壊す (こわす, to break), 壊れる (こわれる, to be broken) | 壊す = break it; 壊れる = it broke |
| 崩 | ホウ (hō) | くず (kuzu) | collapse | 崩れる (くずれる, to crumble), 崩壊 (ほうかい, collapse) | 山崩れ = landslide |
| 倒 | トウ (tō) | たお (tao) | topple | 倒れる (たおれる, to fall over), 倒す (たおす, to knock down) | 倒れる = fall; 倒す = knock over |
| 割 | カツ (katsu) | わ (wa) | split | 割る (わる, to split), 割引 (わりびき, discount) | 割引 = discount! |
| 滅 | メツ (metsu) | ほろ (horo) | perish | 滅びる (ほろびる, to perish), 滅亡 (めつぼう, extinction) | 文明の滅亡 = fall of a civilization |
| 消 | ショウ (shō) | き (ki)・け (ke) | vanish | 消える (きえる, to vanish), 消す (けす, to erase) | 消える = disappear; 消す = turn off/erase |
| 失 | シツ (shitsu) | うしな (ushina) | lose | 失う (うしなう, to lose), 失敗 (しっぱい, failure) | 失敗 = failure |
Change & Repair
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 変 | ヘン (hen) | か (ka) | change | 変わる (かわる, to change), 変える (かえる, to change sth.) | Intransitive/transitive pair |
| 換 | カン (kan) | か (ka) | exchange | 換える (かえる, to replace), 交換 (こうかん, exchange) | 変える = alter; 換える = swap |
| 改 | カイ (kai) | あらた (arata) | reform | 改める (あらためる, to revise), 改善 (かいぜん, improvement) | 改善 = kaizen! |
| 直 | チョク (choku) | なお (nao)・ただ (tada) | fix / direct | 直す (なおす, to fix), 直接 (ちょくせつ, direct) | 直す = repair things, correct errors |
| 治 | チ (chi)・ジ (ji) | なお (nao)・おさ (osa) | cure / govern | 治す (なおす, to cure), 治る (なおる, to heal) | 治す = cure illness; 直す = fix objects |
作る vs 造る vs 創る
All three are read "tsukuru," but they carry different nuances:
| Kanji | Reading | Context | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 作る | つくる | Everyday making | 料理を作る (cook a meal), 作文を作る (write an essay) |
| 造る | つくる | Large-scale building / brewing | 船を造る (build a ship), 酒を造る (brew sake) |
| 創る | つくる | Artistic creation | 作品を創る (create a work of art), 新しい世界を創る (create a new world) |
In daily conversation, 作る is the safe default. 造る emphasizes industrial scale. 創る carries a sense of originality and artistry.
Paired Opposites
Creation and destruction kanji naturally form contrasting pairs:
| Creation | Destruction | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 作る (つくる) make | 壊す (こわす) destroy | make things ↔ break things |
| 建てる (たてる) build | 倒す (たおす) topple | build a house ↔ knock it down |
| 産む (うむ) give birth | 滅びる (ほろびる) perish | birth ↔ extinction |
| 育てる (そだてる) raise | 失う (うしなう) lose | nurture ↔ lose |
| 植える (うえる) plant | 消える (きえる) vanish | plant ↔ disappear |
Also note the transitive/intransitive pairs:
| Intransitive (happens naturally) | Transitive (someone does it) | Kanji |
|---|---|---|
| 壊れる (こわれる) it broke | 壊す (こわす) break it | 壊 |
| 消える (きえる) it vanished | 消す (けす) erase it | 消 |
| 変わる (かわる) it changed | 変える (かえる) change it | 変 |
| 治る (なおる) it healed | 治す (なおす) cure it | 治 |
| 倒れる (たおれる) it fell | 倒す (たおす) knock it down | 倒 |
Kintsugi — The Japanese Philosophy of Breaking and Remaking
In Japanese culture, destruction is not the end — it's the beginning of rebirth.
Kintsugi (金継ぎ) is the perfect example: when a ceramic bowl breaks (壊れた), you don't throw it away. Instead, you mend the cracks with gold lacquer. The repaired object becomes more beautiful than the original — because the cracks become unique, one-of-a-kind patterns.
Related kanji chain: 壊れる (it broke) -> 直す (repair) -> 変わる (it changed) -> 新しく作る (make it anew)
This philosophy also shows up in kaizen (改善) thinking: continuously break the status quo (破る), improve (改める), and rebuild (建てる). The Toyota Production System is a classic example of this "destroy -> rebuild" cycle.
Even Japan's land itself repeats this cycle: 地震で崩れる (collapse from earthquakes) -> 建て直す (rebuild). Each reconstruction incorporates new wisdom.
Practice
Q1. 作る, 造る, and 創る are all read "tsukuru." How do they differ?
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作る = everyday making (cooking, writing). 造る = large-scale building/brewing (shipbuilding, sake brewing). 創る = artistic creation (creating works of art). Use 作る as the safe default in daily conversation.
Q2. What's the difference between 壊す and 壊れる?
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Transitive vs. intransitive. 壊す (こわす) = someone breaks it (transitive); 壊れる (こわれる) = it breaks on its own (intransitive). Example: 弟が花瓶を壊した (my brother broke the vase) vs. 花瓶が壊れた (the vase broke).
Q3. What do 変わる and 変える mean respectively?
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変わる (かわる) = intransitive, something changes on its own. Example: 季節が変わる (the season changes). 変える (かえる) = transitive, to actively change something. Example: 予定を変える (change the plans).
Q4. Both 直す and 治す are read "naosu." How do you tell them apart?
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直す = fix objects, correct errors. Example: 時計を直す (fix a watch). 治す = cure illness. Example: 風邪を治す (cure a cold). Broken things get 直す; sick people get 治す.
Q5. What is kintsugi? Which kanji are involved?
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Kintsugi (金継ぎ) is a traditional Japanese technique of repairing broken ceramics with gold lacquer. Related kanji: 壊れる (break) -> 直す (repair). The kintsugi philosophy: damage is not a defect — the repaired object becomes even more beautiful.
Summary
- Three ways to write "tsukuru": 作る (everyday), 造る (industrial), 創る (artistic)
- Memorize creation and destruction in pairs: 作る ↔ 壊す, 建てる ↔ 倒す, 産む ↔ 滅びる
- Transitive/intransitive pairs throughout: 壊す/壊れる, 消す/消える, 変える/変わる
- 直す vs. 治す: fix things with 直, cure illness with 治
- Japanese kintsugi philosophy: 壊れても、直せば、もっと美しくなる (even if it breaks, if you fix it, it becomes even more beautiful)
This concludes all five articles in the actions series! You've now mastered 100 action-related kanji.