broken; to break
HSK level
破 is written with 10 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
破 (pò) is a verb and adjective centered on 'breaking' — to break, tear, split, or wear through, and by extension the resulting state of being broken, torn, or worn out.
As an adjective it describes physical damage (破杯子 a broken cup, 破衣服 torn clothes) and, colloquially, junk quality with a sneer (这破手机 'this lousy phone'). As a verb it extends metaphorically: 破纪录 (break a record), 破案 (crack a case), 破产 (go bankrupt), 破坏 (destroy). Two notes for English speakers.
First, unlike English 'break,' 破 specifically implies a rupture, tear, or worn-through hole, not just stopping working — a phone that won't turn on is 坏了 (huài le), while a phone with a cracked screen is 破了. Second, 破 as a contemptuous modifier ('crummy, damn') has no clean single-word English equivalent.
Note: Neutral and extremely common. As a dismissive adjective ('lousy, crummy'), 破 is colloquial and mildly rude — 这破车 ('this piece-of-junk car') carries clear contempt.
我的杯子破了。
Wǒ de bēizi pò le.
My cup is broken (cracked).
spoken
他打破了世界纪录。
Tā dǎpò le shìjiè jìlù.
He broke the world record.
neutral
这件衣服破了个洞。
Zhè jiàn yīfu pò le ge dòng.
This shirt has a hole worn in it.
spoken
别开这辆破车了，太危险。
Bié kāi zhè liàng pò chē le, tài wēixiǎn.
Stop driving this junk of a car, it's too dangerous.
colloquial
坏 means 'broken/not working' or 'bad,' with no rupture implied — a machine that stopped working is 坏了. 破 specifically means torn, cracked, or worn through. A cracked cup is 破的; a dead battery is 坏的.
碎 means shattered into pieces (glass, plates). 破 is a rupture or tear that need not fragment. A torn shirt is 破; a dropped plate in shards is 碎.
坡 (first tone, 土 earth radical) means 'slope.' 破 (fourth tone, 石 stone radical) means 'break.' Similar shape, different radical and tone.
泼 (first tone, water radical) means 'to splash/spill' liquid. 破 means 'to break.' Both share the 皮 component but differ in radical, tone, and meaning.
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