破铜烂铁 (pò tóng làn tiě) — scrap metal; junk; rubbish; worthless objects
Definition
A chengyu-style noun for 'scrap metal / junk' — literally 'broken copper, rotten iron'. Carries a dismissive tone: worthless, broken things with no value, not just any old object.
noun
scrap metaljunkrubbishworthless objects
Measure word · 堆
Examples
- 破铜烂铁。Tā zài hòu yuàn duī le yì duī pò tóng làn tiě.He piled up a heap of scrap metal in the backyard.
- 破铜烂铁，。Zhè xiē jiù diàn qì quán shì pò tóng làn tiě, zǎo gāi rēng le.These old appliances are all junk — they should have been thrown away long ago.
- 破铜烂铁。Bié bǎ nà xiē pò tóng làn tiě dàng zuò shōu cáng pǐn.Don't treat that scrap as collectibles.
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