崩 bēng to rupture
to rupture; to split apart; to collapse; death
How it came to be
A mountain over the friend block, once two strings of shells hanging side by side. The mountain comes down in slabs: one mass splitting into pieces that lie side by side.
How it is used
- To collapse/burst apart: 崩溃 (bēngkuì) to collapse (system, mind, market), 山崩 (shānbēng) a landslide, 崩塌 (bēngtā) to cave in.
- Emotional slang: 我要崩溃了 (wǒ yào bēngkuì le) I'm about to lose it; 玩崩了 (wán bēng le) blew it.
- Classically 驾崩 (jiàbēng) = the death of an emperor.