Definition
垮 (kuǎ) means to collapse, usually because of pressure, fatigue, or poor management — it covers both physical structures and figurative states like health or a business. It differs from 崩溃 (bēng kuì, emotional/system breakdown) and 瓦解 (wǎ jiě, gradual disintegration of an organization), and from 塌/倒塌 (tā/dǎo tā) which are more narrowly about physical structures. 垮 is a general, vivid verb for something giving way under strain.
verb
to collapse (physically or figuratively)
Easily confused
- 跨kuàlook-alike(physical) to step across, to stride over
- 挎kuàlook-aliketo carry (slung over the arm, shoulder, or side)
- 夸kuālook-aliketo praise, to compliment
Examples
- 垮。Nà zuò jiù fángzi zhōngyú kuǎ le.That old house finally collapsed.
- 垮。Chángqī láolèi ràng tā de shēntǐ kuǎ le.Long-term fatigue caused his body to collapse.
- 垮。Guǎnlǐ bú shàn dǎozhì zhěng gè gōngsī kuǎ le.Poor management caused the entire company to collapse.
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