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决裂 (jué liè) — to break with, to rupture (relationships, agreements, etc.)

Definition

A strong, formal verb meaning to completely break off a relationship or agreement — final and irreversible, much stronger than 分手 (which is mainly for couples).

verb
to break withto rupture (relationships, agreements, etc.)

Examples

  • 决裂。
    Tā men yīn wèi lì yì chōng tū zuì zhōng jué liè le.
    They ultimately broke with each other because of a conflict of interests.
  • 决裂。
    Liǎng guó zhī jiān de mào yì xié dìng wán quán jué liè.
    The trade agreement between the two countries completely ruptured.
  • 决裂。
    Tā yǔ jiā tíng jué liè hòu dú zì qù le guó wài.
    After breaking with his family, he went abroad alone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

决juésever
裂lièsplit

决 (sever) and 裂 (split) both convey breaking apart.

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 決; 决 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài決jué
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 決 has 氵 (water) and 夬, which gives the sound. This describes 決, not the simplified 决.

Open 决 →

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
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
列
列liè裂liè
Same sound today

裂 combines 衣 (clothes) with 列 for the sound. The picture of 列 shows bones cut by a blade and lined up, and the whole writes the idea of cutting and tearing clothes.

Open 裂 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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