Why are there separate passive versions of so many verbs? How do they differ in meaning from the regular passive conjugation?


The example I came across today (though I've seen this with many other verbs):

「潰れる」 – "to be crushed"

which, as far as I can tell, means exactly the same as 「潰される」, the passive
form of「潰す」.

My questions:

  1. Do these actually mean the same?
  2. Is there any rule to these "special" passive versions?
  3. Or am I completely misunderstanding something about the passive form?




You misunderstand, likely due to the challenges of translation and of
explaining one language using the words and constructions of another.

Verbs like 潰【つぶ】れる and 漬【つ】かる are not _passive_ , but rather **stative** --
they describe the state of something. For 潰【つぶ】れる, the meaning is not passive
"to be crushed by someone or something". Instead, it may be understood more
like "to be (or come to be) in a state of crushed-ness". The emphasis is on
the **state**. This contrasts with the active verb 潰【つぶ】す "to crush something"
and its passive conjugation 潰【つぶ】される "to be crushed by someone or something".

This stative quality is like the verb 開【あ】く "to be (or come to be) in a state
of open-ness", contrasting with active 開【あ】ける "to open something" and its
passive conjugation 開【あ】けられる "to be opened by someone or something".

* * *

Please comment if the above does not address your question.




You misunderstand, likely due to the challenges of translation and of
explaining one language using the words and constructions of another.

Verbs like 潰【つぶ】れる and 漬【つ】かる are not _passive_ , but rather **stative** --
they describe the state of something. For 潰【つぶ】れる, the meaning is not passive
"to be crushed by someone or something". Instead, it may be understood more
like "to be (or come to be) in a state of crushed-ness". The emphasis is on
the **state**. This contrasts with the active verb 潰【つぶ】す "to crush something"
and its passive conjugation 潰【つぶ】される "to be crushed by someone or something".

This stative quality is like the verb 開【あ】く "to be (or come to be) in a state
of open-ness", contrasting with active 開【あ】ける "to open something" and its
passive conjugation 開【あ】けられる "to be opened by someone or something".

* * *

Please comment if the above does not address your question.

