解ける

• Reading: とける
• Romaji: tokeru
• Kanji breakdown: 解 (kai/ge/to) — untie, solve, release
• Pronunciation: /to.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To come untied; to come apart; to be solved. Something loosening or being resolved on its own.

A Group 2 (ichidan) intransitive verb conjugated by dropping る (解けない, 解けます). Used for knots coming undone, misunderstandings being cleared up, spells being broken, and math problems being solved. The transitive pair is 解く (to untie, to solve). Distinct from the homophone 溶ける (to melt) — this word is about undoing or resolving.

Examples

1. 靴ひもが走っている間に解けてしまった。 My shoelaces came untied while I was running.
2. やっと難しい数学の問題が解けた。 I finally solved the difficult math problem.
3. 彼との誤解が話し合いで解けた。 The misunderstanding between us was cleared up through talking.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, education, interpersonal

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 解 combines 角 (horn), 刀 (knife), and 牛 (cow), originally depicting the act of cutting apart an animal — hence meanings of separation, undoing, and solving.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal