陥る

• Reading: おちいる
• Romaji: ochiiru
• Kanji breakdown: 陥 (kan/ochi) — fall into, cave in, pit
• Pronunciation: /o.tɕi.i.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To fall into (a bad situation); to lapse into; to be caught in a trap or predicament.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated as 陥ら-ない, 陥り-ます. Primarily used to describe entering negative states: 危機に陥る (fall into a crisis), パニックに陥る (fall into a panic). The subject typically has little control over the situation. Common in formal written contexts and news reporting.

Examples

1. 経営判断を誤り、会社は深刻な財政危機に陥った。 Poor management decisions caused the company to fall into a serious financial crisis.
2. 甘い言葉に乗せられて詐欺の罠に陥る人が後を絶たない。 There is a constant stream of people who are taken in by sweet words and fall into the trap of fraud.
3. 過労が続いた結果、彼女はうつ状態に陥ってしまった。 As a result of sustained overwork, she fell into a state of depression.

Usage Guide

Context: news, business, formal writing

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 陥 depicts a pit or trap, evoking the image of falling into a hole. Used in classical texts to describe armies falling into encirclements and later extended to any unwanted predicament.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated