Meaning and Usage
The verb '깨지다' primarily means 'to break' or 'to be broken.' It is used when something physically breaks, such as glass or ceramics, but also metaphorically, like a broken promise or a broken heart.
Common Contexts
- Physical objects breaking: 유리잔이 깨지다 (a glass breaks).
- Emotional or abstract breaking: 마음이 깨지다 (heart breaks), 약속이 깨지다 (promise breaks).
Collocations and Patterns
- 깨지다 + object (usually inanimate): 유리잔이 깨지다 (glass breaks).
- 마음이 깨지다: used metaphorically for emotional hurt.
- 약속이 깨지다: used for broken agreements or promises.
Register and Politeness
'깨지다' is neutral and commonly used in everyday conversation. It is an intransitive verb, so the subject is the thing that breaks.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '깨지다' with '깨다' (to wake up or to break something actively). Remember, '깨지다' is passive/intransitive, meaning the subject breaks by itself or is broken, not that someone breaks it actively.