to break; to snap; to cut off
HSK level
断 is written with 11 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
断 (duàn) is a verb meaning 'to break,' 'to snap,' or 'to cut off / sever,' used when something long or continuous is severed into pieces — a rope, a bone, a wire, or a connection.
It also extends to interrupting continuity: 断电 (power cut), 断网 (lose internet), 中断 (to interrupt). A second sense is 'to judge / decide' (判断 to judge, 诊断 to diagnose). It is neutral in register.
Two differences from English: 断 focuses on the severing of something continuous, so a snapped rope is 绳子断了 (the rope broke, intransitive, thing as subject), while a shattered cup uses 碎 (suì) or 破 (pò) instead; and as an adverb in the pattern 断不 / 断然 it means 'absolutely (not),' a formal emphatic. Use 断 for long things that snap or connections that get cut, not for things that shatter.
绳子断了。
Shéngzi duàn le.
The rope broke.
neutral
刚才突然断电了。
Gāngcái tūrán duàndiàn le.
The power just suddenly went out.
spoken
对不起，我打断一下。
Duìbuqǐ, wǒ dǎduàn yíxià.
Sorry, let me interrupt for a second.
spoken
他摔了一跤，腿骨折断了。
Tā shuāi le yì jiāo, tuǐ gǔ zhéduàn le.
He took a fall and broke his leg bone.
neutral
折 (zhé) means to snap or fold something by bending (折断 snap in two, 折纸 fold paper). 断 is the state of being severed. Often combined: 折断 = to break by bending. 断 alone covers snapping and cutting off connections too.
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