垮

• Pinyin: kuǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 垮 = 土 (earth) + 夸 (boast) — to collapse

Meaning

To collapse; to break down; to fall apart. Describes something failing, crumbling, or breaking.

Used for physical collapse (buildings, bodies) or figurative collapse (businesses, health, spirit). Common in phrases like 累垮 (exhausted to the point of collapse), 拖垮 (drag down to ruin).

Examples

1. 公司被这次危机拖垮了。 The company was dragged down by this crisis.
2. 他工作太拼了，身体快要累垮了。 He's working too hard — his body is about to break down.
3. 那座老桥终于垮塌了。 That old bridge finally collapsed.

Usage Guide

Context: failure, health, destruction

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 别把自己累垮了。(Don't work yourself to exhaustion.)
• 公司差点就垮了。(The company almost collapsed.)

Don't Say

• 用垮形容轻微的疲劳或困难。(Don't use 垮 for minor tiredness — it implies serious collapse or breakdown)

Origin & History

Originally meant 'to stumble' or 'to fall.' Extended to mean collapse or breakdown in various contexts.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal