砸烂 (zá làn) — to smash to pieces / to pulverize

Definition

砸烂 is a separable verb meaning 'smash to pieces,' combining the action verb 砸 with the result complement 烂. It is a single verbal event with an object, not a sequential 'smash and rot.'

verb
to smash to pieces / to pulverize

Examples

  • 砸烂。
    Tā bǎ bō li chuāng zá làn le.
    He smashed the glass window to pieces.
  • 砸烂。
    Zhè xiē jiù shǒu jī dōu dé zá làn.
    These old phones all have to be smashed.
  • 砸烂。
    Nà ge bēi zi bèi hái zi zá làn le.
    That cup was smashed by the child.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

砸zásmash
烂lànbroken down

砸 expresses smashing, and 烂 shows the result of being broken down.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 砸 →

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 爛; 烂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán爛làn
Same sound today

The form 爛 pairs 火 (fire) with 闌 as the sound part; this explains 爛, not the simplified 烂.

Open 烂 →

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