破灭

• Pinyin: pò miè
• Desglose de hanzi: 破 = 石 + 皮 (stone + skin — to break); 灭 = 氵 + 火 (water over fire — to extinguish, annihilate)

Significado

Venirse abajo; hacerse añicos (una esperanza, un sueño).

Always refers to abstract things — ideals, expectations, dreams (梦想破灭, 希望破灭, 幻想破灭). Not used for physical objects. Carries a sense of irreversibility and finality. Common in literary, journalistic, and psychological contexts.

Ejemplos

1. 父亲的突然离世让她多年精心筹划的出国留学梦想瞬间破灭，她不得不留下来撑起这个风雨飘摇的家。
2. 投资者对这家独角兽企业寄予厚望，然而随着财务造假丑闻的曝光，一切憧憬都随之破灭。
3. 长达数年的战争使无数平民对和平生活的渴望一再破灭，心理创伤的阴影难以在短时间内消散。

Guía de uso

Contexto: psychology, narrative, society, personal experience

Tono: negative

Correcto

• 调查显示，越来越多年轻人在现实与期待的落差中经历理想破灭，并陷入持续内耗。(The survey shows that more and more young people are disillusioned by the gap between reality and expectations, and end up trapped in ongoing internal conflict.)
• 当那位曾被奉为商业传奇的创业者最终锒铛入狱时，追随者们心中对颠覆性创新的美好幻想也随之彻底破灭。(When the entrepreneur once venerated as a business legend was finally imprisoned, the beautiful illusions his followers held about disruptive innovation were completely shattered along with him.)

Incorrecto

• 破灭 only applies to abstract hopes or ideals — not physical objects; for physical destruction, use 毁灭 or 摧毁; 幻灭 is a close synonym but specifically refers to disillusionment (illusions shattered), while 破灭 is broader

Origen e historia

破 (to break apart — 石 stone + 皮 skin) + 灭 (to extinguish, to die out — 水 water + 火 fire → fire quenched by water → annihilation)

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal