糟蹋 (zāo tà) — to waste, to squander (resources, opportunities, food, etc.); to ruin, to damage, to wreck (things, health, reputation); to insult, to defile, to trample on (someone's kindness, dignity)
Definition
A colloquial verb covering two main uses: wasting things (resources, food) and ruining or insulting people (health, dignity, kindness). Stronger and more vivid than 浪费 for waste, and more insulting than 破坏 — 破坏 is neutral damage, 糟蹋 implies contempt.
verb
to wasteto squander (resources, opportunities, food, etc.)to ruinto damageto wreck (things, health, reputation)to insultto defileto trample on (someone's kindness, dignity)
Examples
- 糟蹋，。Bié zāo tà zì jǐ de jiàn kāng, shǎo áo yè.Don't ruin your health; stay up less.
- 糟蹋，。Tā hē zuì le jiù zāo tà dōng xī, dǎ suì le hěn duō wǎn.When he's drunk, he wrecks things and breaks a lot of bowls.
- 糟蹋。Nǐ zhè yàng shuō huà shì zài zāo tà tā de hǎo yì.Talking like this is insulting her good intentions.
Appears in
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