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碎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
碎
suì
to break down
HSK 5, a, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #2150, Hard
碎
suì
to break into pieces
HSK 5, a, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #2150, Hard
碎
suì
fragmentary
HSK 5, a, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #2150, Hard
碎
suì
to break, to smash; broken, busted
HSK 5, a, 13 strokes, radical 石, rank #2150, Hard
suì(sui4)sui T4
1to break down
2to break into pieces
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March 24, 2026
碎suì(sui4)
The character 碎 (suì) means to break or shatter into pieces. It is commonly used in contexts where something is physically broken, such as glass or ceramics, but can also be applied metaphorically to ideas or plans that have fallen apart. This word conveys a sense of fragmentation and destruction.
Strokes13Radical石Frequency#2150DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'breaking' can symbolize failure or loss, but it can also represent the idea of starting anew from broken pieces, much like the philosophy of resilience in facing challenges.
Memory tip
Think of a glass that has fallen and shattered into many pieces, creating a '碎' (suì) scene. The character has the radical for 'stone' (石) in it, indicating that a hard object has been broken into fragments, making it easier to remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.
Meanings of 碎
suì(sui4)
1to break down
2to break into pieces
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 碎
碎Simplified
13Strokes
石Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2150Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 碎
Podcast: 碎
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AI study notes for 碎
Quick Contrast
破 (pò) - use 碎 (suì) when emphasizing fragmentation into many pieces, while 破 (pò) suggests general breaking or damage without the specific nuance of shattering.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 碎 (suì) with 破 (pò), which also means 'to break,' but is used more for tearing or damaging. 碎 is generally more informal and used in everyday conversation, while 破 can be used in more formal contexts. A common collocation is 碎片 (suìpiàn), meaning 'fragments.'
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 碎 connects well with other words related to destruction or damage, such as 砸 (zá, to smash) and 崩 (bēng, to collapse). Students should focus on using it in sentences describing broken objects or situations where something has fallen apart.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 碎 with 破. For example, saying '这本书碎了' (Zhè běn shū suìle) is incorrect if referring to a book that is just torn; the correct word would be 破. Another common mistake is using 碎 to describe something that's just damaged but not in pieces.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 碎
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Example
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碎 = 石 + 卒. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 碎
IDS Structure⿰石卒
碎Full character
=
石dan4
left
卒cu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 碎?
How to say to break down in Chinese
“to break down” in Chinese is碎suì
The character 碎 (suì) means to break or shatter into pieces. It is commonly used in contexts where something is physically broken, such as glass or ceramics, but can also be applied metaphorically to ideas or plans that have fallen apart. This word conveys a sense of fragmentation and destruction.
When to use 碎
Be careful not to confuse 碎 (suì) with 破 (pò), which also means 'to break,' but is used more for tearing or damaging. 碎 is generally more informal and used in everyday conversation, while 破 can be used in more formal contexts. A common collocation is 碎片 (suìpiàn), meaning 'fragments.'
碎 or something close to it
破 (pò) - use 碎 (suì) when emphasizing fragmentation into many pieces, while 破 (pò) suggests general breaking or damage without the specific nuance of shattering.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 碎 with 破. For example, saying '这本书碎了' (Zhè běn shū suìle) is incorrect if referring to a book that is just torn; the correct word would be 破. Another common mistake is using 碎 to describe something that's just damaged but not in pieces.
Write 碎
碎
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Grammar patterns of 碎
碎 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
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Word Family of 碎
Words containing this character20
碎suìto break down
碎片suìpiànchip
破碎pòsuìto shatter
心碎xīnsuìheartbroken
打碎dǎsuìto shatter
粉碎fěnsuìto crush
撕碎sīsuìto tear to shreds
杂碎zásuioffal雜碎
碎石suìshícrushed or broken rock, stone etc
琐碎suǒsuìtrifling瑣碎
粉碎机fěnsuìjīpulverizer粉碎機
支离破碎zhīlípòsuìscattered and smashed (idiom)支離破碎
碎裂suìlièto disintegrate
砸碎zásuìto pulverize
粉身碎骨fěnshēnsuìgǔfig. to die horribly
零碎língsuìscraps
碾碎niǎnsuìto pulverize
切碎qiēsuìto chop
碎屑suìxièfragments
细碎xìsuìfragments細碎
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 碎
What does 碎片 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 碎
Yes, 碎 (suì) appears in various idiomatic expressions in Chinese. For instance, '心碎' (xīn suì) means 'heartbroken,' indicating emotional pain. Understanding these expressions can help you grasp the nuances of the language.
碎 (suì) and 破 (pò) both mean 'broken,' but they have slightly different connotations. 碎 emphasizes fragmentation or breaking into small pieces, while 破 generally refers to being damaged or torn. Context is key when choosing which word to use.
碎 (suì) means 'to break down' or 'to break into pieces.' It can describe something that is fragmented or shattered. This character is commonly used in various contexts, such as describing broken objects or fragmented thoughts.
You can use 碎 (suì) to describe something that has been broken, for example, '这块玻璃碎了' (zhè kuài bōlí suì le), which means 'This piece of glass is broken.' It's often used in both literal and metaphorical contexts.
You can say '这块玻璃碎了' (Zhè kuài bōlí suìle), meaning 'This piece of glass is broken.'
No, 碎 can also be used metaphorically, such as in '他的计划碎了' (Tā de jìhuà suìle), meaning 'His plan fell apart.'
While both mean 'to break,' 碎 emphasizes breaking into pieces, whereas 破 is more about damage or tearing.
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