破 pò broken
broken; damaged; damaging
How to remember 破: 石 stone + 皮 skin = broken. A stone flies up from the lawnmower, scrapes the gardener's skin and hits the window, and now the glass is broken.
Component breakdown
破 = 石 stone + 皮 skin
- 石 stone
- 皮 skin
A stone flies up from the lawnmower, scrapes the gardener's skin and hits the window, and now the glass is broken.
How it is used
- Broken / torn, and to break through - 破了 (pò le) got torn/broken, 打破 (dǎpò) break (a record, silence), 破坏 (pòhuài) destroy/damage.
- As an adjective it also means 'worn-out/shabby': 破衣服 (pò yīfu) ragged clothes, 破旧 (pòjiù) old and worn.
- 突破 (tūpò) breakthrough; 破产 (pòchǎn) go bankrupt; 破案 (pò'àn) crack a case.
Words with 破
- 打破dǎpòto breakHSK 5
- 破坏pòhuàidestructionHSK 5
- 破产pòchǎnto go bankruptHSK 6
- 突破tūpòto break throughHSK 6
- 破例pòlìto make an exceptionHSK 7
- 破旧pòjiùshabbyHSK 7
- 破案pò’ànto solve a criminal caseHSK 7
- 破解pòjiěto break (a bond, constraint etc)HSK 7
- 破除pòchúto eliminateHSK 7
- 突破口tūpòkǒubreachHSK 7
- 破灭pòmièto be shatteredHSK 9
- 破碎pòsuìto smash to piecesHSK 9
- 破裂pòlièto burstHSK 9
Example sentences
- 鸡蛋破了。 Jīdàn pò le.The egg is broken.
- 那个箱子破了。 Nàge xiāngzi pò le.The trunk is broken.
- 天刚破晓，景色很美。 Tiān gāng pòxiǎo, jǐngsè hěn měi.The scenery at dawn is very beautiful.
- 这次误会破坏了他们的感情。 Zhècì wùhuì pòhuài le tāmen de gǎnqíng.This misunderstanding ruined their love.