壊 (huài) - To break & to destroy

壊Tone 4

huài ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

壊 · huài

To break;

to destroy;

to ruin;

to damage;

to spoil;

to go bad (of food);

to become corrupt.

To breakto destroyto ruin

Usage highlights

To destroyTo be brokenBad personBad thingTo damageTo break a rule

Synonyms

  • 破— to break; to damage
  • 毀— to destroy; to ruin
  • 損— to damage; to harm

Antonyms

  • 好— good; well
  • 修— to repair; to fix
  • 建— to build; to construct

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The earthquake destroyed many buildings (地震壊了很多建筑物).
  • The milk has gone bad (牛奶壊了).
  • He has a bad stomach (他的胃壊了).
  • Don't spoil the child (不要壊了孩子).

Collocations

  • To destroy(壊掉)
  • To be broken(壊了)
  • Bad person(壊人)
  • Bad thing(壊事)
  • To damage(損壊)
  • To break a rule(壊規矩)

Idioms

  • Good and evil are clearly distinguished(好壊分明)
  • To be broken into pieces(破壊殆盡)
  • To be utterly destroyed(體無完膚，壊到極點)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character carries a strong negative connotation, associated with moral corruption, physical destruction, and spoilage.
  • In traditional Chinese philosophy, '壊' represents the opposite of constructive or virtuous actions.
  • It is often used in moral teachings to warn against destructive behavior and its consequences.

FAQ