裂痕

• Pinyin: liè hén
• Hanzi breakdown: 裂 = 歹 + 衣 (to split/tear — fabric being torn); 痕 = 疒 + 艮 (scar/trace — the mark of an old wound)

Meaning

Crack mark; fracture line; rift. A visible mark or trace left by cracking — suggesting damage that has occurred but may not be a fully open gap.

More abstract and emotionally resonant than 裂缝. While 裂缝 refers to a physical gap, 裂痕 emphasises the visible trace or scar of a break — suggesting something fractured but not necessarily fallen apart. Used extensively in literary, psychological, and social analysis to describe wounds in relationships, trust, or social harmony that are visible but not always openly acknowledged.

Examples

1. 两人虽然表面上和好如初，但内心深处的裂痕已经难以真正愈合。 Though they seemed to make up on the surface, the crack deep inside their hearts was already hard to truly heal.
2. 这次管理层的重大失误在团队内部留下了深刻的裂痕，士气一落千丈。 This major management blunder left a deep rift within the team, and morale plummeted.
3. 文物修复师小心翼翼地填补古瓷上的裂痕，尽量还原其原有的完整面貌。 The conservator carefully filled the crack lines in the ancient porcelain, trying to restore its original wholeness as much as possible.

Usage Guide

Context: relationships, social commentary, literary writing, restoration

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 一场误会在两位挚友之间留下了难以磨灭的裂痕，此后再未完全恢复如初。(A misunderstanding left an indelible rift between the two close friends — they were never quite the same again afterwards.)
• 历史上的那场政治风波在整整一代人的记忆中留下了深深的裂痕，至今仍难以愈合。(The political turmoil of that era left deep fracture lines in the memory of an entire generation — wounds that remain difficult to heal even today.)

Don't Say

• 将'裂痕'和'裂缝'视为完全相同 — '裂缝'侧重物理上的开口或缝隙，'裂痕'更强调裂开后留下的痕迹或心理伤疤

Origin & History

裂 (to split/to crack — a tear or break) + 痕 (mark/trace — the scar or impression left behind)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal