ぶつかる

• Reading: ぶつかる
• Romaji: butsukaru
• Pronunciation: /bɯ.tsɯ.ka.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To collide with; to bump into; to run into. Also used figuratively for encountering problems or conflicts.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. The transitive pair is ぶつける (to hit something against). Usually written in hiragana. Common patterns: 壁にぶつかる (hit a wall — literal or figurative), 車がぶつかる (cars collide), 意見がぶつかる (opinions clash). Often used with に to mark what is collided with.

Examples

1. 暗い廊下で壁にぶつかってしまった。 I bumped into the wall in a dark hallway.
2. 交差点で二台の車がぶつかった。 Two cars collided at the intersection.
3. 難しい問題にぶつかったが諦めなかった。 I ran into a difficult problem, but I didn't give up.

Usage Guide

Context: traffic, daily life, problem-solving

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Onomatopoeic origin from ぶつ (the sound/action of hitting). The かる ending forms an intransitive verb describing the resulting collision.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal