転落（てんらく、tenraku）
- fall

The Japanese word 転落 (てんらく) primarily means "falling," "decline," or "downfall." It encompasses various types of falling, both literal and figurative. It can describe a physical fall from a height, a decline in status or fortune, or a moral or ethical lapse. The meaning depends heavily on the context in which it is used. It suggests a loss of position, a deterioration, or a descent from a higher level to a lower one. The word carries a sense of negative consequence or severity.

⚫︎ 崖から転落した Translation: Fell off a cliff. ⚫︎ 会社の業績が転落した Translation: The company's performance declined. ⚫︎ 彼は犯罪に手を染め、人生が転落した Translation: He got involved in crime, and his life went downhill.

• 転落 is used in various situations, so it is important to understand the context. • It is appropriate in formal and informal settings. • When describing a physical fall, it is used more literally. • When describing a decline, it is used figuratively to depict a decrease in quality, status, or morals. • The word often implies a sudden or drastic change for the worse. • You might use it when talking about accidents, career failures, or moral failures.

• The word is typically written with the kanji 転落. • The reading is てんらく in hiragana. • There are no other common ways to write this word. • The okurigana is fixed. 転落 itself does not have a suffix. However, when the word is conjugated, such as in 転落した (fell) or 転落する (to fall/decline), the okurigana will change accordingly.

• 落下 (rakka): This means "falling" or "dropping," primarily used for physical falling. • 墜落 (tsuiraku): This usually means "crash" (like an airplane). • 没落 (botsuraku): This means "ruin" or "downfall," specifically referring to a decline in fortunes or status. • 凋落 (chouraku): This means "decline" or "deterioration." • 衰退 (suitai): This means "decline" or "decay."

• 上昇 (joushou): "rise," "increase," or "going up." • 台頭 (taitō): "rise," "emergence." • 発展 (hatten): "development," "growth." • 成功 (seikou): "success."

彼は不注意で階段から転落し、怪我をした。 ・Translation: He carelessly fell down the stairs and got injured. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 転落 in its literal sense, describing a physical fall.

その政治家のスキャンダルによって、彼の人気は急速に転落した。 ・Translation: Due to that politician's scandal, his popularity rapidly declined. ・Explanation: This sentence employs 転落 in its figurative sense, describing a decline in the politician's popularity.

The word 転落 is a compound word formed from two kanji. 転 (ten) means "to turn," "to roll," or "to fall." 落 (raku) means "to fall," "to drop," or "to decline." The combination of these two characters creates the meaning of "falling," "decline," or "downfall."