Meaning of 破
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- broken
- damaged
- worn out
- lousy
- rotten
- to break, split or cleave
- to get rid of
- to destroy
How to use 破
破 works as a verb meaning to break or split, and as an adjective for things that are broken, worn out, or lousy. As an adjective it often sounds casual and a bit dismissive, as in 这台破电脑 (zhè tái pò diànnǎo) "this lousy computer". Example: 我的手机屏幕破了。(Wǒ de shǒujī píngmù pò le.) My phone screen is cracked.
破 has 石 (shí, stone) on the left and 皮 (pí, skin) on the right. Picture a stone hitting something and tearing its skin open, so it ends up broken.
Common mistake: Learners often use 破 for every kind of "broken". But for a machine that stops working, Chinese usually says 坏了 (huài le), and 破了 (pò le) is for things that crack, tear, or get a hole. Also do not write the right side as 支 or 反. It is 皮 (pí).
破 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
破 pò · broken · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 破.
| 破坏 | pòhuài | destruction; damage |
| 打破 | dǎpò | to break; to smash |
| 破产 | pòchǎn | to go bankrupt; to become impoverished |
| 突破 | tūpò | to break through; to make a breakthrough |
| 破解 | pòjiě | to break (a bond, constraint etc); to explain |
| 破碎 | pòsuì | to smash to pieces; to shatter |
| 破裂 | pòliè | to burst; to rupture; (of a relationship etc) to break down |
| 破案 | pò'àn | to solve a criminal case |
| 破灭 | pòmiè | to be shattered; to be annihilated (of hope, illusions etc) |
| 破旧 | pòjiù | shabby |
| 突破口 | tūpòkǒu | breach; gap |
| 破除 | pòchú | to eliminate; to do away with |
Questions about 破
What does 破 mean?
破 (pò) means "broken; damaged" and is used as a adjective and verb.
How do you write 破?
破 is made of 1 character: 破 (10 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 破 an HSK word?
Yes. 破 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 破 and 坏?
破 (pò) focuses on physical damage like cracks, tears, or holes, such as clothes or glass. 坏 (huài) means something is out of order or has gone bad, such as a TV that will not turn on or food that has spoiled. They combine in 破坏 (pòhuài), to damage or destroy.
How is 破 used in abstract phrases like 打破纪录?
破 can mean breaking through a limit or barrier, not just an object. 打破纪录 (dǎpò jìlù) means to break a record, and 突破 (tūpò) means a breakthrough. 破案 (pò'àn) means to solve a criminal case.