成り立つ

• Reading: なりたつ
• Romaji: naritatsu
• Kanji breakdown: 成 (na/sei) — to become, accomplish; 立 (ta/ritsu) — to stand
• Pronunciation: /na.ɾi.ta.tsɯ/

Meaning

To consist of; to be made up of; to be composed of. Also means to be viable or hold true.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. Has two key meanings: (1) to be composed of elements (で成り立つ), and (2) to be viable/sustainable as a system or argument. Both are common in academic and business contexts.

Examples

1. 日本語は漢字とひらがなとカタカナで成り立っている。 Japanese is made up of kanji, hiragana, and katakana.
2. 信頼がなければ、チームワークは成り立たない。 Without trust, teamwork falls apart.
3. この理論は三つの仮説から成り立っている。 This theory is composed of three hypotheses.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, business, analysis

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

Compound of 成り (becoming) and 立つ (to stand). The image is of something taking shape and standing on its own — coming into being as a complete whole.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal