倒産

• Reading: とうさん
• Romaji: tousan
• Kanji breakdown: 倒 (tou) — collapse, fall; 産 (san) — produce, property
• Pronunciation: /toː.saɴ/

Meaning

Bankruptcy; insolvency; corporate failure. When a company can no longer pay its debts and ceases operations.

A noun and suru verb (倒産する, to go bankrupt). Primarily used for businesses and corporations, not personal bankruptcy (which is 自己破産). Common collocations: 倒産する (to go bankrupt), 倒産寸前 (on the verge of bankruptcy), 連鎖倒産 (chain of bankruptcies). Frequently appears in business news.

Examples

1. あの有名な会社が倒産したというニュースに驚いた。 I was shocked by the news that that famous company went bankrupt.
2. 不景気で中小企業の倒産が増えている。 Due to the recession, bankruptcies among small and medium-sized businesses are increasing.
3. 銀行の融資がなければ倒産するところだった。 Without the bank loan, we would have gone bankrupt.

Usage Guide

Context: business, news, economics

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 倒 (tou, to collapse/fall) and 産 (san, production/property). Together, 'collapsed production' — a business that has fallen and can no longer produce.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal