Definition
倒塌 (dǎo tā) is a formal compound verb used only for the physical collapse of buildings or other structures. It is narrower than 倒 (dǎo), which also covers a person falling or business failure, and narrower than 垮 (kuǎ), which can refer to a system or spirit collapsing. 倒塌 is more literary than the standalone 塌 (tā), which can also mean sag.
verb
to collapse (of building, structure)to topple over
Examples
- 倒塌。Nián jiǔ shī xiū de lǎo fángzi tūrán dǎo tā le.The old house that had fallen into disrepair suddenly collapsed.
- 倒塌，。Dìzhèn dǎozhì xǔduō qiáoliáng dǎo tā, jiùyuán gōngzuò shífēn kùnnán.The earthquake caused many bridges to collapse, making rescue work extremely difficult.
- 倒塌，。Shīgōng zhōng jiǎoshǒujià dǎo tā, xìnghǎo méiyǒu rényuán shāngwáng.The scaffolding collapsed during construction, but fortunately there were no casualties.
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