break a habit
يتخلص من عادة
直訳: To fracture or smash a routine behavior
Use `break a habit` when discussing the difficult process of stopping a negative, repetitive behavior.
15秒でわかる
- To intentionally stop a repetitive, usually negative, behavior or routine.
- Commonly used for health goals, productivity, and personal self-improvement.
- Implies the process is challenging and requires significant willpower.
意味
To stop doing something that you do regularly, especially if it is a bad or unhealthy habit. It describes the difficult process of ending a repetitive behavior.
主な例文
3 / 6Talking about health goals
I'm really trying to break the habit of eating sugary snacks at night.
I'm really trying to stop the habit of eating sugary snacks at night.
A formal performance review
You should focus on breaking the habit of arriving late to morning briefings.
You should focus on stopping the habit of arriving late to morning briefings.
Texting a friend about a phone addiction
Ugh, I need to break my scrolling habit. I've been on TikTok for 3 hours!
Ugh, I need to stop my scrolling habit. I've been on TikTok for 3 hours!
文化的背景
The phrase draws on the metaphor of a 'habit' being a physical tie or restraint. In the 18th and 19th centuries, 'habit' also referred to clothing (like a nun's habit), suggesting that a habit is something you 'wear' or that covers you. Breaking it implies a forceful liberation from a routine that has become part of your identity.
The 'Kick' Alternative
If you want to sound more energetic or determined, use `kick the habit`. It sounds more decisive than `break`.
Don't use with 'Good'
We almost never say `break a good habit`. If you stop doing something good, we usually say you 'got out of the routine'.
15秒でわかる
- To intentionally stop a repetitive, usually negative, behavior or routine.
- Commonly used for health goals, productivity, and personal self-improvement.
- Implies the process is challenging and requires significant willpower.
What It Means
Break a habit is all about stopping a repetitive behavior. Think of a habit like a physical chain. To stop it, you have to snap that chain. It is usually used for things that are bad for you. We talk about biting nails or eating late at night. It implies that stopping is hard work. You are fighting against your own brain's autopilot.
How To Use It
You use this phrase as a verb. You can say you are trying to break a habit. You can also say it is hard to break a habit. It works well with adjectives like bad, old, or nasty. For example, "I need to break my bad habit of hitting snooze." It sounds natural in almost any conversation about self-improvement. Just remember, you break the habit, you don't 'delete' or 'kill' it.
When To Use It
Use it when discussing New Year's resolutions. It is perfect for talking to a doctor about health. Use it when venting to a friend about your phone addiction. It fits well in office small talk about coffee consumption. If someone is doing something annoying, you might suggest they break that habit. It shows you understand that changing behavior takes effort.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for one-time mistakes. If you forgot your keys once, that's not a habit. Don't use it for things you like doing. You wouldn't break a habit of being kind to people. That sounds like you want to stop being nice! Also, avoid using it for serious medical addictions in a clinical setting. In those cases, 'recovery' or 'treatment' is more appropriate.
Cultural Background
Western culture is obsessed with self-improvement and 'productivity hacks.' The idea of breaking a habit is a multi-billion dollar industry. Books like 'Atomic Habits' are massive bestsellers. There is a common cultural myth that it takes 21 days to break a habit. While scientists disagree, people still use this timeframe constantly. It reflects a culture that values willpower and personal change.
Common Variations
You might hear people say kick the habit. This is a bit more informal and punchy. It often refers specifically to quitting smoking or drugs. Another variation is old habits die hard. This means it is very difficult to change how you've always done things. If you stop a habit very suddenly, you go cold turkey. All these phrases show how much we struggle with our daily routines.
使い方のコツ
This is a very safe, high-frequency collocation. It works in 95% of situations where you want to talk about stopping a recurring behavior.
The 'Kick' Alternative
If you want to sound more energetic or determined, use `kick the habit`. It sounds more decisive than `break`.
Don't use with 'Good'
We almost never say `break a good habit`. If you stop doing something good, we usually say you 'got out of the routine'.
The 21-Day Myth
In English-speaking cultures, people often say it takes 21 days to break a habit. Mentioning this makes you sound like a local!
例文
6I'm really trying to break the habit of eating sugary snacks at night.
I'm really trying to stop the habit of eating sugary snacks at night.
Uses 'the habit of [verb-ing]' structure.
You should focus on breaking the habit of arriving late to morning briefings.
You should focus on stopping the habit of arriving late to morning briefings.
Professional way to address a recurring behavioral issue.
Ugh, I need to break my scrolling habit. I've been on TikTok for 3 hours!
Ugh, I need to stop my scrolling habit. I've been on TikTok for 3 hours!
Casual and relatable use for modern problems.
We tried to break the cat's habit of waking us up at 4 AM, but the cat won.
We tried to stop the cat's habit of waking us up at 4 AM, but the cat won.
Lighthearted use showing that habits aren't just for humans.
It took years to break the habit of putting myself last, but I'm finally healing.
It took years to stop the habit of putting myself last, but I'm finally healing.
Refers to a deep psychological or emotional pattern.
If you don't break that habit now, it's only going to get harder later.
If you don't stop that habit now, it's only going to get harder later.
Direct and helpful advice.
自分をテスト
Choose the correct word to complete the phrase about quitting smoking.
It is never too late to ___ a bad habit like smoking.
The standard collocation is always 'break a habit'.
Complete the sentence with the most natural sounding phrase.
I'm trying to ___ the habit of checking my emails during dinner.
While 'stop' is grammatically okay, 'break the habit' is the most common and natural expression.
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ビジュアル学習ツール
Formality of 'Break a Habit'
Used with friends (e.g., 'Kick the habit')
I gotta kick this coffee habit.
Standard everyday use
I want to break the habit of biting my nails.
Professional or clinical settings
The patient is working to break sedentary habits.
Where to use 'Break a Habit'
New Year's Resolutions
Breaking the habit of overspending.
Doctor's Office
Breaking the habit of smoking.
Parenting
Helping a child break a thumb-sucking habit.
Workplace
Breaking the habit of procrastinating.
よくある質問
10 問Yes, you can use it in plural if you are talking about multiple things, like I need to break my bad habits.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend without any issues.
Kick the habit is more informal and often implies a harder struggle, like quitting cigarettes.
No, a habit must be something repetitive. If you did it once, just say I stopped doing that.
Both are fine. Use a for habits in general and the when talking about a specific one you already mentioned.
Not really. It sounds very dramatic and unnatural. Stick to break or kick.
It is a famous proverb meaning it is extremely difficult to change a behavior you have had for a long time.
Usually no. We break things that are bad. For positive things, we say stop a practice or lose a good routine.
You can say He needs to break the habit of interrupting people. It's a polite way to criticize.
The opposite is forming a habit or starting a habit.
関連フレーズ
Kick the habit (To quit a tough addiction)
Old habits die hard (Old patterns are hard to change)
Creature of habit (Someone who loves routine)
Form a habit (To start a new routine)
Cold turkey (To stop a habit instantly and completely)
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