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烧坏 (shāo huài) — to damage or ruin by burning, to burn out (of food, appliances, circuits, etc.)

Definition

烧坏 is a separable verb: 烧 + 坏, where 坏 is a result complement meaning 'broken/ruined' by burning. The burnt object is damaged beyond use (appliance, food, circuit).

verb
to damage or ruin by burningto burn out (of food, appliances, circuits, etc.)

Examples

  • 烧坏。
    Tā de diàn nǎo yīn wèi guò rè shāo huài le.
    His computer burned out due to overheating.
  • 烧坏，。
    Wǒ bǎ fàn shāo huài le, bù néng chī le.
    I burned the rice, so it's inedible.
  • 烧坏，。
    Diàn lù bǎn bèi shāo huài le, xū yào huàn xīn de.
    The circuit board was burned out and needs to be replaced.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

烧shāoburn
坏huàidamaged

“烧” gives the burning action and “坏” states the result of being damaged.

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 燒; 烧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo燒shāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 燒 pairs 火 (fire) with 堯, which supplies the sound; the simplified 烧 is a shorthand.

Open 烧 →

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 →
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