潰 meaning and stroke order
A flooding river; a military defeat; to break down, to disperse
How to write 潰, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 潰
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) (of floodwaters) to break through a dam or dike
- (bound form) to break through (a military encirclement)
- (bound form) to be routed; to be overrun; to fall to pieces
- (bound form) to fester; to ulcerate
- used in 潰膿|溃脓[hui4 nong2]
- Taiwan pr. [kui4]
How 潰 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 貴 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 潰
Water 氵 bursting past something precious 貴 (guì): the dike gives way and the flood breaks through. 貴 also hints at the sound, since guì and kuì rhyme.
潰 (kuì) is a bound form, so it appears inside words rather than alone. It covers floods breaking dikes, armies being routed, things falling apart, and wounds festering. Example: 他的精神快崩潰了。(Tā de jīngshén kuài bēngkuì le.) He is on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 潰 with 憒 or 匱 (kuì), which share a similar sound but mean muddled and lacking. Check the left side: only the water radical 氵 gives the meaning of bursting and collapsing. Also, 貴 is guì with a g, but 潰 is kuì with a k, so do not carry the g sound over.
Common words with 潰
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 崩潰 | bēngkuì | to collapse; to crumble; to fall apart | HSK 7-9 |
| 擊潰 | jīkuì | to defeat; to smash; to rout | |
| 潰瘍 | kuìyáng | ulcer; to ulcerate |
Questions about 潰
How many strokes are in 潰?
潰 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 潰 mean?
潰 (kuì) means a flooding river; a military defeat; to break down, to disperse. A common word with it is 崩溃 (bēngkuì), meaning "to collapse; to crumble; to fall apart".
How do you pronounce 潰?
潰 is pronounced kuì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 潰?
The radical of 潰 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 潰 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 潰?
潰 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 溃, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 潰 ever pronounced huì?
Yes, in mainland standard Mandarin it is read huì in 潰膿 (huìnóng), to fester and discharge pus. In Taiwan this word is still read kuì. Everywhere else, use kuì.
What is the difference between 崩潰 and 擊潰?
崩潰 (bēngkuì) means something collapses on its own, like a system, an economy, or a person's emotions. 擊潰 (jīkuì) means one side actively smashes and routes another, usually an enemy force.