粉碎 (fěn suì) — to shatter, to crush (physically into pieces);… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'reduce to powder and fragments': the most emphatic verb for total physical shattering, and by extension for completely destroying plans or rumors. Stronger than 破碎 (break into pieces) and 碎 (break/fragment); more decisive than 打破.

to shatterto crush (physically into pieces)to break downto smash (plans, opposition, rumors, etc.)

Examples

粉碎。
Dì zhèn bǎ dà lóu de bō li chuāng quán bù fěn suì le.
The earthquake shattered all the glass windows of the building.
粉碎。
Jǐng fāng chéng gōng fěn suì le yí gè fàn zuì tuán huǒ.
The police successfully smashed a criminal gang.
粉碎。
Nà ge yáo yán hěn kuài jiù bèi shì shí fěn suì le.
That rumor was soon shattered by the facts.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

粉 (powder) and 碎 (broken) together mean crushed into fine pieces.

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.

米分粉

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

分

分fēn粉fěn

Same sound today

粉 pairs 米 (rice) with 分 for its sound. The rice part points to face powder made from rice.

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

石卒碎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

石石shístone

Sound part声符shēngfú

卒

卒zú碎suì

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

碎 pairs 石 (stone) with 卒, which gives the sound; the stone part is tied to the sense of breaking or smashing.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Change & Process

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.