破

• Pinyin: pò
• Hanzi breakdown: 破 = 石 (stone) + 皮 (skin), suggesting something hard breaking through a surface

Meaning

Broken; damaged; to break; to tear. Describes something that is damaged, worn out, or no longer intact.

A very common word with multiple uses. As an adjective, it means broken or shabby (破衣服 = ragged clothes, 破房子 = run-down house). As a verb, it means to break or crack (打破 = to smash). Also used figuratively: 破纪录 (break a record), 破例 (make an exception). Colloquially, 破 can express contempt (这破手机 = this lousy phone).

Examples

1. 杯子破了，小心别被玻璃划伤。 The cup is broken — be careful not to get cut by the glass.
2. 这件衣服已经破了，不能穿了。 This piece of clothing is already torn and can't be worn any more.
3. 他打破了学校的跑步纪录。 He broke the school's running record.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, description

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 窗户的玻璃破了。(The window glass is broken.)
• 她打破了世界纪录！(She broke the world record!)

Don't Say

• 我的心情很破。(Don't use 破 to describe mood — 破 is for physical objects or records. For a bad mood, say 心情很差 or 心情不好.)

Origin & History

Composed of 石 (stone) and 皮 (skin). The original meaning was to split or crack open — something hard breaking through a surface.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal