噛み砕く

• Reading: かみくだく
• Romaji: kamikudaku
• Kanji breakdown: 噛 (ka) — chew, bite; 砕 (sai) — crush, break into pieces
• Pronunciation: /ka.mi.kɯ.da.kɯ/

Meaning

To chew thoroughly, breaking food into pieces; figuratively, to explain something complex in simple, digestible terms.

A Group 1 (godan) verb used in both literal and figurative contexts. The figurative sense — explaining something in accessible language — is particularly common in academic and professional settings. The image is of breaking down something hard into manageable pieces. Frequently used in the pattern 噛み砕いて説明する (to explain in simple terms). It implies effort and skill in translation between complexity and clarity.

Examples

1. 講師は難解な法律用語を噛み砕いて、誰にもわかるように説明した。 The lecturer broke down difficult legal terminology into simple terms so that anyone could understand.
2. 固いパンを時間をかけて噛み砕きながら、老人はゆっくりと食べた。 Taking his time to chew through the hard bread piece by piece, the old man ate slowly.
3. 複雑な概念を噛み砕いて伝える能力は、優れた指導者に欠かせない。 The ability to break down complex concepts and communicate them clearly is indispensable in a great teacher.

Usage Guide

Context: education, teaching, communication, writing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 噛む (to chew) and 砕く (to break into pieces, to crush). The combined image is of grinding something down until nothing hard remains.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes