折る To Fold Something

Meaning

Primary

To Fold Something

Alternative

To Break Something

Word Type

transitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means fold or break, so the vocab verb version is to fold something or to break something

Reading

おる

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you: You fold your obi (お) really carefully and put it away with the rest of your kimono.

Context

Common Word Combinations

• 〜を折る

  骨を折る

  to go through great trouble, to break a bone

  紙を折る

  to fold paper

  指を折る

  to bend one's fingers (usually to count)

• 〜に折る

  三角に折る

  to fold into a triangle

  半分に折る

  to fold in half

  二つに折る

  to fold in two

Context Sentences

今からギョウザの皮を折るところです。

I'm about to fold the gyoza wrappers now.

もう少しで足の骨を折るところでした。

I almost broke the bone in my foot.

その紙を折った時に、指を切ってしまったんだ。

When I was folding the paper I got a paper cut.

Kanji Composition

1. 折

   せつ Fold