a flooding river; a military defeat; to break down, to disperse
v, 12 strokes, radical 氵, rank #22919, Hard
kuì(kui4) T4
1to be dispersed
2to break down
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March 24, 2026
溃(潰)kuì(kui4)
The character 溃 (kuì) primarily means to break down or disperse, often used in contexts where something collapses or fails, such as a military defeat or a situation that becomes chaotic. It can also refer to something festering or ulcerating, indicating a decline in health or integrity. This word is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe breakdowns, whether physical or metaphorical.
Strokes12Radical氵Frequency#22919DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese history, the concept of military defeat (溃败) has significant cultural weight, often associated with the lessons learned from historical battles and strategic failures. This reflects the importance placed on strategy and resilience in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a dam (represented by the water radical 水) that has broken down, causing water to disperse everywhere. The sound 'kuì' can be remembered as the noise of rushing water flowing uncontrollably after the dam's collapse, emphasizing the chaotic nature of the situation.
Meanings of 溃
kuì(kui4)
1to be dispersed
2to break down
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 溃
溃Simplified
潰Traditional
12Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#22919Frequency Rank
Podcast: 溃
Podcast: 溃
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AI Study Notes for 溃
Quick Contrast
崩 (bēng) - use 溃 (kuì) for a breakdown that implies a gradual failure or chaos, while 崩 (bēng) suggests a sudden collapse or fall.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a dam (represented by the water radical 水) that has broken down, causing water to disperse everywhere. The sound 'kuì' can be remembered as the noise of rushing water flowing uncontrollably after the dam's collapse, emphasizing the chaotic nature of the situation.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 溃 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is mostly used in formal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about military strategy and health. Common collocations include 溃败 (kuìbài) meaning military defeat and 溃疡 (kuìyáng) meaning ulcer.
HSK Study Tips
Though not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding 溃 can enhance comprehension of more advanced texts discussing military history or medical issues. Focus on its various meanings and try to relate it to other characters indicating breakdown or failure, like 崩 (bēng) and 败 (bài).
Cultural Note
In Chinese history, the concept of military defeat (溃败) has significant cultural weight, often associated with the lessons learned from historical battles and strategic failures. This reflects the importance placed on strategy and resilience in Chinese culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 溃 with the character 毁 (huǐ), which means to destroy. For example, saying '他毁了' instead of '他溃了' could lead to misunderstanding the context of breakdown versus destruction.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 溃
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Grammar Patterns of 溃
溃 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
我曾经神经崩____过。那是一次痛苦的经历。
I suffered a nervous breakdown. It was a traumatic experience.
Example Sentences for 溃 (10)
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1
我曾经神经崩溃过。那是一次痛苦的经历。
wǒ zēng jīng shén jīng bēng kuì guò。 。 nà shì yī cì tòng kǔ de jīng。
I suffered a nervous breakdown. It was a traumatic experience.
2
“那是因为我得了溃疡，”他补充解释说。
“ “ nà shì yīn wéi wǒ dé le kuì，” yáng ，” tā bǔ chōng jiě。
Analysts fear the overstretched air traffic control system could reach breaking point.
4
她听到你们的话会崩溃的。
tā tīng dào nǐ mén de huà huì bēng kuì de。
If she hears what you're saying, she's going to come unglued.
5
她身体不舒服，简直要崩溃了。
tā shēn tǐ bù shū fú， ， jiǎn zhí yào bēng kuì。
She is not herself. She came near to a breakdown.
6
我要崩溃了，我一直都没合眼。
wǒ yào bēng kuì le， ， wǒ yī zhí dū méi hé。
I was falling apart. I wasn't getting any sleep.
7
她若是没给自己找点乐趣的话，早就崩溃了。
tā ruò shì méi gěi zì jǐ zhǎo diǎn lè qù de huà， ， zǎo jiù bēng kuì。
She would have cracked up if she hadn't allowed herself some fun.
8
溃疡已经折磨她好几年了。
kuì yáng yǐ jīng zhē mó tā hǎo jī nián le。
The ulcer had been troubling her for several years.
9
凯丽女士似乎将她的精神崩溃归咎于百代唱片公司高度紧张的工作日程安排。
kǎi lì nǚ shì sì hū jiāng tā de jīng shén bēng kuì guī jiù yú bǎi dài chàng piàn gōng sī gāo dù jǐn zhāng de gōng zuò rì chéng ān pái。
Ms Carey appeared to blame her breakdown on EMI's punishing work schedule.
10
当市场崩溃时，他们认为交易会被取消。
dāng shì cháng bēng kuì shí， ， tā mén rèn wéi jiāo yì huì bèi qǔ。
When the market crashed, they assumed the deal would be cancelled.
Cultural Notes for 溃
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese history, the concept of military defeat (溃败) has significant cultural weight, often associated with the lessons learned from historical battles and strategic failures. This reflects the importance placed on strategy and resilience in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 溃
Words Containing This Character13
崩溃bēngkuìto collapse崩潰
溃疡ulcer潰瘍
溃kuìto fester潰
击溃to defeat擊潰
溃烂to fester潰爛
溃败routed潰敗
溃散defeated潰散
溃不成军utterly defeated潰不成軍
溃逃to flee in disorder潰逃
溃兵defeated troops潰兵
溃决to burst潰決
一触即溃to give way at once一觸即潰
溃军routed troops潰軍
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 崩溃 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 溃
You might say '这次的军事行动以溃败告终' (This military action ended in defeat) or '伤口开始溃烂' (The wound is beginning to fester).
Yes, synonyms include 崩溃 (bēngkuì) which means to collapse, and 败 (bài) which means to fail or be defeated.
It is more commonly found in written language or formal discussions rather than in everyday conversation.
