残破 (cán pò) — broken, dilapidated, incomplete, in disrepair

Definition

Describes something that is broken down, worn, or partly missing — usually old objects, buildings, or books showing decay or damage over time.

adjective

brokendilapidatedincompletein disrepair

残破。
Zhè zuò lǎo fáng zi yǐ jīng shí fēn cán pò le.
This old house has already become very dilapidated.
残破。
Tā cóng shū jià shàng qǔ xià yì běn cán pò de gǔ shū.
He took down a dilapidated ancient book from the bookshelf.
残破。
Nà zhāng cán pò de zhuō zi yǐ jīng bù néng yòng le.
That broken table can no longer be used.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

残cándamaged; incomplete

残 and 破 both mean damaged or broken, so together they describe something dilapidated and incomplete.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 殘; 残 is its simplified writing.

歹戔殘

Meaning part形符xíngfú

歹歹dǎivicious, bones

Sound part声符shēngfú

戔

戔jiān殘cán

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 殘 pairs 歹, a bone shape for injury, with 戔 for its sound; the simplified 残 is a later shorthand.

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

石皮破

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

皮

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

破 has 石 (stone) as its meaning part and 皮 as its sound part.

Appears in