瓦解 wǎjiě to collapse
to collapse; to disintegrate; to crumble; to disrupt; to break up
How to remember 瓦解: 瓦 tile + 解 to explain = to collapse.
Characters
How it is used
- To disintegrate / fall apart - 敌军土崩瓦解 (díjūn tǔbēng wǎjiě) the enemy army collapsed utterly.
- Both intransitive (a regime 瓦解s) and transitive (瓦解敌人斗志, to break the enemy's morale).
- Emphasizes crumbling from within into pieces, like tiles falling; stronger and more systemic than 破坏 (pòhuài, to damage).