Crack - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The Word “Crack”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The word “crack” is a versatile term in English, used as both a noun and a verb. It can describe a physical break or fracture in an object, a sudden sound, or even something that is of very high quality. Additionally, “crack” has figurative meanings, such as indicating a clever solution or a flaw in a system. It also has various uses in slang, referring to drugs or breaking into something.

In this article, we will explore the various meanings and uses of “crack”, provide examples in different contexts, and examine how the word is translated into 30 languages, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the term in diverse linguistic settings.

Meaning of “Crack” in Different Contexts

1. Physical Fracture or Break (Noun)

The most common meaning of “crack” is a break or fracture in something, especially hard materials like glass, metal, or stone. It often refers to a small or narrow break.

Example: “There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.”
(Here, “crack” refers to a physical break in the glass.)

2. To Break or Fracture (Verb)

As a verb, “crack” can refer to the action of causing something to break or fracture. It can also be used figuratively to mean breaking into something (e.g., hacking into a system).

Example: “I accidentally cracked the screen of my phone.”
(In this example, “crack” means to break or damage the screen.)

3. Sharp Sound (Noun)

Another meaning of “crack” is a sharp, sudden sound, often caused by a break or explosion.

Example: “I heard a loud crack as the tree limb broke.”
(Here, “crack” refers to the sound made when something breaks suddenly.)

4. High Quality or Expert (Adjective)

When used as an adjective, “crack” can refer to something of the highest quality or someone who is an expert in their field.

Example: “She is a crack pianist, performing in top venues around the world.”
(In this case, “crack” indicates excellence or expertise.)

5. Drug Slang (Noun)

“Crack” is also a common slang term for a highly addictive form of cocaine, often smoked for an intense but short-lasting high.

Example: “He was arrested for possession of crack cocaine.”
(Here, “crack” refers to the drug.)

6. A Flaw or Weakness (Noun)

In a figurative sense, “crack” can refer to a flaw, weakness, or flaw in an otherwise solid system, argument, or structure.

Example: “The plan had a crack in it, which allowed the enemy to break through.”
(In this example, “crack” refers to a weakness or vulnerability in the plan.)

7. To Make a Quick Comment (Verb)

Another figurative use of “crack” is to make a witty or quick comment, often with a humorous tone.

Example: “He cracked a joke during the meeting to lighten the mood.”
(Here, “crack” means to make a witty remark.)

Translations of the Word “Crack” in 30 Languages

Below is a table showing how the word “crack” is translated into 30 different languages, along with example sentences for each.

Language	Translation	Example Sentence (in the target language)	English Translation of Example
English	Crack	“There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Spanish	Grieta	“Hubo una grieta en la ventana después de que la pelota la golpeara.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
French	Fissure	“Il y avait une fissure dans la fenêtre après que la balle l’ait frappée.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
German	Riss	“Es gab einen Riss im Fenster, nachdem der Ball es getroffen hatte.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Italian	Fessura	“C’era una fessura nella finestra dopo che la palla l’aveva colpita.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Portuguese	Rachadura	“Havia uma rachadura na janela depois que a bola a atingiu.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Russian	Трещина (Treshchina)	“В окне была трещина после того, как мяч в него попал.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Chinese (Simplified)	裂缝 (Lièfèng)	“窗户上有一道裂缝，球撞到它之后。”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Japanese	ひび (Hibi)	“ボールが窓に当たった後、窓にひびが入った。”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Korean	금 (Geum)	“공이 창문에 맞った 후, 창문에 금이 갔다.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Hindi	दरार (Dārār)	“खिड़की में एक दरार थी, जब गेंद ने उसे मारा।”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Bengali	ফাটল (Phāṭala)	“গ্লাসে একটি ফাটল ছিল যখন বলটি তার মধ্যে আঘাত করেছিল।”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Urdu	دراڑ (Dārāṛ)	“کھڑکی میں ایک دراڑ تھی جب گیند نے اس پر مارا تھا۔”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Turkish	Çatlak	“Top camı vurduktan sonra camda bir çatlak oluştu.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Dutch	Barst	“Er zat een barst in het raam toen de bal het raakte.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Greek	Ρωγμή (Rogmí)	“Υπήρχε μια ρωγμή στο παράθυρο αφού η μπάλα το χτύπησε.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Swedish	Spricka	“Det var en spricka i fönstret efter att bollen träffade det.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Danish	Revne	“Der var en revne i vinduet, efter at bolden ramte det.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Finnish	Rako	“Ikkunassa oli halkeama, kun pallo osui siihen.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Norwegian	Sprekk	“Det var en sprekk i vinduet etter at ballen traff det.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Polish	Pęknięcie	“Była pęknięcie w oknie po tym, jak piłka w nie trafiła.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Czech	Trhlina	“Byla tam trhlina ve skleněné tabuli, když ji míč zasáhl.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Hungarian	Repedés	“A labda eltalálta az ablakot, és repedés keletkezett rajta.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Hebrew	סדק (S’dek)	“היה סדק בחלון אחרי שהכדור פגע בו.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Thai	รอยร้าว (Rōi rāo)	“มีรอยร้าวที่หน้าต่างหลังจากบอลถูกมัน.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Vietnamese	Vết nứt	“Có một vết nứt trong cửa sổ sau khi bóng va vào.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Indonesian	Retakan	“Ada retakan pada jendela setelah bola menghantamnya.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Filipino	Pagkabasag	“May basag sa bintana nang tamaan ito ng bola.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Malay	Retak	“Terdapat retakan pada tingkap selepas bola itu mengenainya.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Swahili	Mchoro	“Kulikuwa na mchoro kwenye dirisha baada ya mpira kugonga.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)
Arabic	شق (Shaqq)	“كان هناك شق في النافذة بعد أن ضربتها الكرة.”	(There was a crack in the window after the ball hit it.)

The word “crack” is incredibly versatile and can be used in various contexts, from describing physical fractures to referring to something of high quality, or even in a slang sense. Its use spans many areas, including everyday language, specialized fields like law and technology, and even popular culture.

The word is widely understood across cultures and languages, as evidenced by the numerous translations into 30 different languages. Whether used to describe a literal crack in a surface, the cracking of a code, or even referring to a type of drug, “crack” remains an essential and multifaceted term in the English language.