突破（とっぱ、toっpa）
- breakthrough

The Japanese word 突破 (pronounced とっぱ, *toppa*) generally means to overcome, break through, breach, or surmount an obstacle or a difficulty. It implies a successful act of getting past a barrier, achieving a breakthrough, or exceeding a limit. The core meaning focuses on overcoming an impediment and reaching a new state or level. It often suggests a significant achievement or a turning point. It can be used both literally and figuratively.

⚫︎難関を突破する Translation: To overcome a difficult challenge. ⚫︎壁を突破する Translation: To break through a wall. ⚫︎記録を突破した Translation: Broke the record.

突破 is a versatile word, suitable for various contexts. ⚫︎It can describe physical acts like breaking through a wall or enemy lines. ⚫︎It can be used metaphorically to express achieving a breakthrough in research, overcoming a personal challenge, or surpassing expectations. ⚫︎It is often used in business contexts, such as 市場突破 (market penetration). ⚫︎When speaking, you can use the noun form, 突破, or the verb form, 突破する (to do/perform 突破).

⚫︎The standard way to write 突破 is with the kanji 突破. ⚫︎The reading is とっぱ (in hiragana). ⚫︎There are no variations in the okurigana; it's always just する for the verb form.

⚫︎克服 (kokufuku) - to overcome ⚫︎打破 (daha) - to break through, smash ⚫︎凌駕 (ryouga) - to surpass, excel ⚫︎乗り越える (norikoeru) - to overcome, get over

⚫︎失敗 (shippai) - failure ⚫︎挫折 (zasetsu) - setback, frustration, failure ⚫︎停滞 (teitai) - stagnation, standstill

研究チームは、長年の努力の末、新たな技術を突破することに成功した。 ・Translation: The research team succeeded in breaking through with a new technology after years of effort. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the use of 突破 in a scientific context, describing the achievement of a breakthrough.

彼は厳しいトレーニングをこなし、自己ベストを突破した。 ・Translation: He completed rigorous training and broke his personal best. ・Explanation: This example shows the metaphorical usage of 突破 to describe surpassing a personal record or limit.

The word 突破 is a compound word formed from two kanji. 突 (to) means "to thrust", "to pierce", or "to break through". 破 (ha) means "to break", "to tear", or "to destroy". Therefore, the combination of these two characters creates the meaning of "breaking through" or "overcoming" an obstacle.