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点破 (diǎn pò) — to expose (a lie or secret), to lay bare

Definition

A compound verb meaning to expose or lay bare (a lie, secret, or pretense), often by saying something brief that makes the truth obvious. Pairs with 把 in 把…点破 to mark the thing being exposed.

verb
to expose (a lie or secret)to lay bare

Examples

  • 点破。
    Tā yí jù huà jiù diǎn pò le duì fāng de huǎng yán.
    He exposed the other party's lie with just one sentence.
  • 点破。
    Jì zhě bǎ zhè ge mì mì diǎn pò le.
    The reporter exposed this secret.
  • 点破。
    Tā de guān diǎn bèi tóng shì diǎn pò le.
    His viewpoint was exposed as flawed by a colleague.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

点diǎnpoint out/touch
破pòbreak/through

点 is to touch or point out, and 破 adds the result of breaking through, giving 'lay bare'.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí破pò
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.

Open 破 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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