裂缝

• Pinyin: liè fèng
• Hanzi breakdown: 裂 = 歹 + 衣 (to split/tear — clothing being ripped apart); 缝 = 纟 + 逢 (seam/gap — silk threads at the meeting point of two pieces)

Meaning

Crack; fissure; crevice. A narrow opening or split in a surface caused by breaking, pressure, or gradual deterioration.

Used both literally and figuratively. Literally, it refers to physical cracks in walls, ground, structures, or materials. Figuratively, 裂缝 describes rifts or fractures in relationships, organisations, or systems. In engineering and geology, it signals structural weakness or seismic activity. The figurative use is especially powerful in literary and political analysis.

Examples

1. 地震过后，建筑外墙出现了多道明显的裂缝，工程师随即对结构安全性展开评估。 After the earthquake, multiple obvious cracks appeared in the building’s exterior wall, and engineers immediately began assessing structural safety.
2. 长期干旱导致土地龟裂，田间随处可见深浅不一的裂缝，庄稼几近绝收。 Prolonged drought left the ground split open; cracks of varying depth were visible throughout the fields, and the crops were nearly a total loss.
3. 两国之间的信任裂缝在这次外交危机后变得更加难以弥合。 The crack in trust between the two countries became even harder to mend after this diplomatic crisis.

Usage Guide

Context: engineering, geology, relationships, political analysis

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 检测人员发现大坝底部出现细微裂缝，立即启动紧急修复程序以防隐患扩大。(Inspectors discovered hairline cracks at the base of the dam and immediately initiated emergency repair procedures to prevent the risk from widening.)
• 内部权力争斗在党内高层制造了难以修复的裂缝，最终导致组织分裂。(Internal power struggles created irreparable rifts within the party's top leadership, ultimately leading to organisational fragmentation.)

Don't Say

• 将'裂缝'与'缺口'混用 — '裂缝'指细长的线状裂开，'缺口'指缺失一块或有豁口，两者形态不同

Origin & History

裂 (to split/to crack — a garment being torn, indicating division) + 缝 (seam/gap — the space between two pieces joined or separated)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal