崩裂 (bēng liè) — to burst apart, to crack

Definition

Means 'burst apart / crack open' under strong internal or external force — more violent and sudden than simple cracking (裂开), implying structural collapse. Often used for dams, walls, or rock.

verb
to burst apartto crack

Examples

  • ，崩裂。
    Dì zhèn shí, shān shí bēng liè le.
    During the earthquake, the rocks burst apart.
  • 崩裂。
    Dà bà zài hóng shuǐ zhōng bēng liè le.
    The dam cracked in the flood.
  • 崩裂。
    Nà miàn qiáng yīn wèi yā lì guò dà ér bēng liè le.
    That wall burst apart due to excessive pressure.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

崩bēngburst
裂liècrack

崩 means burst or collapse, and 裂 means crack; together they describe breaking apart.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
朋
朋péng崩bēng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

崩 uses 山 (mountain) to show a mountain collapsing, with 朋 added for the sound.

Open 崩 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
列
列liè裂liè
Same sound today

裂 combines 衣 (clothes) with 列 for the sound. The picture of 列 shows bones cut by a blade and lined up, and the whole writes the idea of cutting and tearing clothes.

Open 裂 →

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