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损坏 (sǔn huài) — to damage, to harm (objects, equipment, property)

Definition

Used for things or property being damaged (machines, buildings, objects). 伤害 targets people or abstract things like feelings; 损伤 is similar but also covers people/health.

verb
to damageto harm (objects, equipment, property)

Examples

  • 损坏。
    Zhè tái jī qì sǔn huài le.
    This machine is damaged.
  • 损坏。
    Bào fēng yǔ sǔn huài le hěn duō fáng zi.
    The storm damaged many houses.
  • ，损坏。
    Qǐng xiǎo xīn shǐ yòng, bú yào sǔn huài tā.
    Please use it carefully; don't damage it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

损sǔndamage
坏huàibroken

损 means to damage, and 坏 adds the broken outcome, giving the sense of damaging objects.

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 損; 损 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
員
員yuán損sǔn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 損 pairs 手 (hand) with 員 as a sound part; the simplified 损 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the original components.

Open 损 →

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 壞; 坏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
褱
褱huái壞huài
Same sound today

For the traditional form 壞, 土 (earth) is the meaning part and 褱 supplies the sound; earth is used because something that rots eventually becomes earth. This is about 壞, not the simplified 坏.

Open 坏 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Change & Process

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