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碰撞 (pèng zhuàng) — (of objects) to collide, to crash into; (of opinions, cultures, etc.) to clash, to conflict

Definition

碰撞 (pèng zhuàng) is a formal verb meaning 'to collide / to clash,' covering both physical impact (objects) and abstract conflict (ideas, cultures). Stronger and more formal than 碰 or 撞 alone; 冲突 emphasizes ongoing conflict more than an impact event.

verb
(of objects) to collideto crash into(of opinions, cultures, etc.) to clashto conflict

Examples

  • 碰撞。
    Liǎng liàng chē zài shí zì lù kǒu pèng zhuàng le.
    Two cars collided at the intersection.
  • 碰撞。
    Tā men de yì jiàn jīng cháng pèng zhuàng.
    Their opinions often clash.
  • 碰撞。
    Zhè cì tǎo lùn ràng bù tóng guān diǎn pèng zhuàng zài yì qǐ.
    This discussion brought different viewpoints into collision.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

碰pèngto touch or bump
撞zhuàngto hit

碰 means to touch or bump and 撞 means to hit, together describing objects striking each other.

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
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
並
並bìng碰pèng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

碰 is built from 石 (rock) and 並 (bìng); 石 shows the meaning, and 並 shows the sound.

Open 碰 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
童
童tóng撞zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 扌 is the hand radical, written in full as 手, and the right side 童 supplies the sound.

Open 撞 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Conflict & Agreement

Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.