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坍塌 (tān tā) — to collapse, to cave in (of structures, land, etc.)

Definition

A vivid verb meaning a structure or land suddenly caves in or falls apart. More dramatic than 倒塌, which can be used figuratively for regimes or plans.

verb
to collapseto cave in (of structures, land, etc.)

Examples

  • 坍塌。
    Nà zuò jiù fáng zi zài dà yǔ zhōng tān tā le.
    That old house collapsed in the heavy rain.
  • 坍塌。
    Dì zhèn dǎo zhì xǔ duō fáng wū tān tā.
    The earthquake caused many houses to collapse.
  • 坍塌。
    Kuàng gōng men dān xīn kuàng jǐng huì tān tā.
    The miners worried the mine would collapse.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

坍tāncollapse
塌tācave in

坍 and 塌 both describe falling or caving in, so together they mean collapse.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
丹
丹dān坍tān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

坍 is made from 土 (earth) and 丹; 土 carries the sense, and 丹 supplies the sound.

Open 坍 →

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
土土tǔdirt
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦐇
𦐇𦐇塌tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

塌 is built from 土 (dirt) and 𦐇, which gives its sound.

Open 塌 →
Appears in
Change & ProcessSafety & Danger

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