Meaning
霹雳舞 is the Chinese term for breakdancing, the dynamic street dance style that originated in the United States in the 1970s. The name literally means 'thunderbolt dance,' evoking the explosive, electric energy of the dance movements. It became popular in China during the 1980s and has experienced renewed interest as breaking was included in international sporting events.
Usage
This term is the standard Chinese name for breakdancing and is widely recognized. It's used in both casual conversation and formal contexts when discussing this dance style. Native speakers commonly use it when talking about hip-hop culture, street dance competitions, or describing someone's dancing ability.
Examples
- 01他从小就喜欢跳霹雳舞，现在已经是专业舞者了。, .He has loved breakdancing since he was young, and now he's already a professional dancer.
- 02霹雳舞将在巴黎奥运会上首次成为正式比赛项目。.Breaking will become an official competition event at the Paris Olympics for the first time.
Characters
Measure words
- 种一种霹雳舞风格
Common collocations
- 跳霹雳舞to breakdance, to do breakdancing
- 霹雳舞表演breakdancing performance
- 霹雳舞比赛breakdancing competition
Origin
The term combines 霹雳 (thunderbolt/lightning) with 舞 (dance). The 'thunderbolt' imagery was chosen to convey the explosive, powerful, and electrifying nature of breakdancing movements when this Western dance form was introduced to China in the 1980s.