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拆散 (chāi sàn) — to break up (a marriage, family, etc.)

Definition

Refers specifically to forcibly separating people who belong together — families, couples, marriages — not casual breakups of groups or organizations. Often carries a negative, destructive tone.

verb
to break up (a marriage, family, etc.)

Examples

  • 拆散。
    Tā gù yì chāi sàn le bié rén de jiā tíng.
    He deliberately broke up someone else's family.
  • 拆散。
    Hěn duō hūn yīn yīn wèi wù huì ér bèi chāi sàn.
    Many marriages are broken up because of misunderstandings.
  • 拆散。
    Fū qī zhī jiān de wèn tí kě néng chāi sàn tā men de guān xì.
    Problems between a couple can break up their relationship.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

拆chāitake apart
散sànscattered

The action 拆 'take apart' results in 散 'scattered', giving break up.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
斥
斥chì拆chāi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拆 uses 手 to show an action done by hand, with 斥 giving the sound. In an earlier related form, the hand part replaced an earth part to stress the action by hand.

Open 拆 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 林林líntrees, forest
  • 攴攴pūto knock, to tap

散 combines 林 (trees or forest) and 攴 (to knock or tap), originally showing knocking to clear vegetation, later extended to breaking up or dispersing.

Open 散 →
Appears in
Family & KinshipRomance & Marriage

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