散る

• Reading: ちる
• Romaji: chiru
• Kanji breakdown: 散 (san/chiru) — scatter, fall, disperse
• Pronunciation: /tɕi.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To scatter; to fall; to disperse. Things naturally spreading out or falling apart.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. Most famously used for cherry blossoms falling (桜が散る), which carries deep cultural significance in Japanese aesthetics of impermanence (もののあわれ). Also used for crowds dispersing (人が散る) and losing concentration (気が散る, to be distracted). The intransitive counterpart of 散らす.

Examples

1. 桜の花びらが風に乗って散っていく。 Cherry blossom petals are scattering in the wind.
2. 集まっていた人たちが四方に散った。 The people who had gathered dispersed in all directions.
3. 周りがうるさくて気が散る。 It's so noisy around me that I can't concentrate.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, poetry, daily life

Tone: poetic

Origin & History

Same kanji as 散らす. The intransitive form 散る captures the natural, uncontrolled quality of scattering — petals falling, crowds drifting apart. Deeply embedded in Japanese poetry about the transience of beauty.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal