Meaning
断 means to break, sever, or cut something off, whether physically (like a rope or stick) or abstractly (like a relationship or communication). It can describe something that has already broken or the action of breaking it. The character also appears in words related to making judgments or decisions.
Usage
断 is commonly used in everyday speech to describe things breaking or being cut off. It appears in many compound words and is often used with 了 to indicate completion. Native speakers frequently use it for both physical breaking (断了 duàn le 'it broke') and abstract severance (断绝关系 duànjué guānxi 'sever relations').
Examples
- 01绳子断了，我们需要换一根新的。, .The rope broke, we need to replace it with a new one.
- 02别打断我说话。.Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking.
Common collocations
- 断了broke, broken
- 断绝关系to sever relations
- 不断continuously, constantly
- 断电power outage, to cut off electricity
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 斷 combines 絲 (silk threads) and 斤 (axe), depicting the act of cutting threads with an axe blade—literally severing or breaking something.