Definition
折 (shé) means 'to snap, to break' specifically for long thin objects like sticks, bones, or pencils — it's the result of bending until something gives. It differs from 断 (duàn), which is a more general 'break' for any solid object (rope, wire, glass), and from 折 (zhé), which means 'to fold' or 'to bend' (the action, not the breaking).
verb
to snapto break (of long thin objects like sticks, bones, pencils)
Easily confused
- 折zhélook-aliketo break, to fracture
- 射shèsound-aliketo shoot (an arrow, bullet, etc.)
- 听tīnglook-aliketo listen; to hear
- 蛇shésound-alikesnake
- 近jìnlook-alikenear; close (in distance or time)
- 设shèsound-aliketo set up, to establish
- 斩zhǎnlook-aliketo behead (as capital punishment)
- 社shèsound-alike(bound form) society, organization, agency (used in many compounds)
- 断duànlook-aliketo break, to snap (physically)
- 拆chāilook-aliketo take apart, to dismantle (a machine, building, etc.)
Examples
- 折。Tā bǎ nà gēn mùgùn shé le.He snapped that stick.
- ，折。Zhè gēn kuàizi tài cuì, yí yònglì jiù shé le.This chopstick is too brittle; it snapped as soon as I applied force.
- 折。Lǎorén de tuǐgǔ bù xiǎoxīn shé le.The old man's leg bone accidentally broke.
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