zhōngduàn: 中断 - To Interrupt, Suspend, Discontinue

• Keywords: zhongduan, 中断, what does zhongduan mean, Chinese to interrupt, Chinese to suspend, discontinue in Chinese, break off connection Chinese, Chinese IT terms, network interruption, power outage Chinese, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 中断 (zhōngduàn), meaning “to interrupt,” “suspend,” or “discontinue.” This HSK 5 term is crucial for understanding formal, technical, and official situations in China, from a network connection 中断 (interruption) to negotiations being 中断 (broken off). This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with clear examples, helping you master when to use 中断 versus more casual words like “打扰 (dǎrǎo)”.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhōngduàn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: 5
• Concise Definition: To interrupt, suspend, or break off an ongoing process, connection, or activity.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 中断 (zhōngduàn) as a “hard stop” button pressed in the middle of an activity. It's not a gentle pause; it's a disruption. It’s the word for when your internet connection drops, a power outage occurs, or a formal meeting is suddenly suspended. It carries a formal and often technical or official tone, implying that something that was supposed to continue has been unexpectedly cut short.

• 中 (zhōng): This character's primary meaning is “middle,” “center,” or “in.” Pictorially, it represents a flag or arrow hitting the center of a target. Here, it signifies something happening “in the middle” of a process.
• 断 (duàn): This character means “to break,” “to sever,” or “to cut off.” The left side (幺) relates to silk threads, and the right side (斤) is an axe. Together, they create a vivid image of an axe cutting threads.

When combined, 中断 (zhōngduàn) literally means “to break in the middle,” perfectly capturing the concept of an ongoing action being forcefully stopped before its natural conclusion.

While 中断 (zhōngduàn) isn't a deeply philosophical term like 关系 (guānxi), its usage reflects an important cultural nuance regarding formality and context. In English, “interrupt” can be very broad. You can “interrupt” a friend's story, and you can also have a “service interruption.” Chinese is more precise. 中断 (zhōngduàn) is almost exclusively used for the second type of situation: formal, impersonal, and process-oriented interruptions. A Western learner might mistakenly use 中断 to say “Sorry to interrupt you.” This would sound very strange and overly formal in Chinese. For that, you would use 打扰 (dǎrǎo). This distinction highlights a preference in Chinese for using specific vocabulary for different social contexts. Using 中断 correctly shows a higher level of linguistic and social awareness—you understand the difference between a system failing (中断) and a person bothering someone (打扰). It points to a structured view of communication where different levels of formality demand different words.

中断 is a common and practical word, especially in formal, business, and technical contexts.

This is one of the most common uses of 中断. It describes a failure in a system or service.

• Connotation: Neutral to Negative (an undesirable event)
• Formality: Formal/Standard
• Examples: 电力中断 (diànlì zhōngduàn - power outage), 网络中断 (wǎngluò zhōngduàn - network interruption), 信号中断 (xìnhào zhōngduàn - signal loss).

Used when formal activities like meetings, negotiations, or projects are stopped unexpectedly.

• Connotation: Neutral to Negative
• Formality: Formal
• Examples: 会议中断 (huìyì zhōngduàn - the meeting was suspended), 谈判中断 (tánpàn zhōngduàn - negotiations were broken off), 合作中断 (hézuò zhōngduàn - cooperation was suspended).

It can also describe a major disruption in a long-term personal plan, like one's education or career.

• Connotation: Negative
• Formality: Formal/Written
• Examples: 他因病中断了学业 (tā yīn bìng zhōngduàn le xuéyè - He discontinued his studies due to illness).

Example 1: 由于暴风雪，我们的电力供应中断了。 Pinyin: Yóuyú bàofēngxuě, wǒmen de diànlì gōngyìng zhōngduàn le. English: Due to the blizzard, our power supply was interrupted. Analysis: A classic, common example of 中断 used for a utility service interruption. Example 2: 会议开到一半，火警警报响了，会议被迫中断。 Pinyin: Huìyì kāi dào yībàn, huǒjǐng jǐngbào xiǎng le, huìyì bèi pò zhōngduàn. English: The fire alarm went off halfway through the meeting, and the meeting was forced to be suspended. Analysis: The passive voice with 被 (bèi) is common with 中断, indicating an external force caused the interruption. Example 3: 网络连接突然中断，我没能保存我的文件。 Pinyin: Wǎngluò liánjiē túrán zhōngduàn, wǒ méi néng bǎocún wǒ de wénjiàn. English: The internet connection suddenly dropped, and I couldn't save my document. Analysis: A very practical sentence for anyone working online. 突然 (túrán), meaning “suddenly,” frequently appears with 中断. Example 4: 由于资金问题，这个项目不得不中断。 Pinyin: Yóuyú zījīn wèntí, zhège xiàngmù bùdébù zhōngduàn. English: Due to funding issues, this project had to be discontinued. Analysis: Here, 中断 implies the project was stopped before completion, with uncertainty about its resumption. Example 5: 两家公司之间的谈判已经中断了数周。 Pinyin: Liǎng jiā gōngsī zhī jiān de tánpàn yǐjīng zhōngduàn le shù zhōu. English: The negotiations between the two companies have been broken off for several weeks. Analysis: This highlights the use of 中断 in a formal business context. Example 6: 他因为需要照顾家人而中断了他的职业生涯。 Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi xūyào zhàogù jiārén ér zhōngduàn le tā de zhíyè shēngyá. English: He put his career on hold because he needed to take care of his family. Analysis: Shows how 中断 can be used for significant life events. It's more formal than saying “he stopped working.” Example 7: 卫星信号中断，电视屏幕一片空白。 Pinyin: Wèixīng xìnhào zhōngduàn, diànshì píngmù yīpiàn kòngbái. English: The satellite signal was interrupted, and the TV screen went blank. Analysis: Another technical example, demonstrating its use with signals and communication. Example 8: 大雨导致比赛中断了近一个小时。 Pinyin: Dà yǔ dǎozhì bǐsài zhōngduàn le jìn yīgè xiǎoshí. English: The heavy rain caused the game to be suspended for nearly an hour. Analysis: 导致 (dǎozhì), meaning “to lead to” or “to cause,” is often used to state the reason for the 中断. Example 9: 我们之间的通讯中断了，我不知道他现在在哪儿。 Pinyin: Wǒmen zhī jiān de tōngxùn zhōngduàn le, wǒ bù zhīdào tā xiànzài zài nǎ'er. English: The communication between us was cut off; I don't know where he is now. Analysis: This can refer to a technical cut-off (phone line dead) or a more general stop in communication. Example 10: 由于两国关系恶化，文化交流活动也随之中断。 Pinyin: Yóuyú liǎng guó guānxì èhuà, wénhuà jiāoliú huódòng yě suí zhī zhōngduàn. English: As the relationship between the two countries deteriorated, cultural exchange activities were also suspended. Analysis: A high-level, formal example used in political or diplomatic contexts.

The most common mistake for English speakers is using 中断 in casual, interpersonal situations. Mistake: Using 中断 instead of 打断 (dǎduàn) or 打扰 (dǎrǎo).

• Incorrect: 对不起，中断你一下。 (Duìbùqǐ, zhōngduàn nǐ yīxià.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sounds like you are a robot announcing a system failure in the person you're talking to. It's jarring and unnatural. 中断 is for processes, not for getting someone's attention.
• Correct (Interrupting someone speaking): 对不起，打断你一下。 (Duìbùqǐ, dǎduàn nǐ yīxià.) - “Sorry to interrupt you.”
• Correct (Politely starting a conversation): 对不起，打扰一下。 (Duìbùqǐ, dǎrǎo yīxià.) - “Excuse me, sorry to bother you.”

`中断 (zhōngduàn)` vs. `停止 (tíngzhǐ)`

• 中断 (zhōngduàn): To be interrupted/suspended. Implies the action was *in progress* and was supposed to continue. The stop is often unexpected.
  • Example: 雨下得太大了，比赛中断了。(Yǔ xià dé tài dà le, bǐsài zhōngduàn le.) - The rain was too heavy, so the game was suspended. (It's expected to resume later).
• 停止 (tíngzhǐ): To stop. This can be a planned, final, or permanent stop.
  • Example: 请停止吸烟。(Qǐng tíngzhǐ xīyān.) - Please stop smoking. (A command to cease completely).
  • Example: 这趟公交车在下一站停止服务。(Zhè tàng gōngjiāo chē zài xià yí zhàn tíngzhǐ fúwù.) - This bus terminates service at the next stop. (A planned final stop).

• 打断 (dǎduàn) - To cut in, to interrupt (someone speaking), to break (an object). It's more active and physical than 中断.
• 暂停 (zàntíng) - To pause, to suspend temporarily. This is the word on the “pause” button (▶❚❚). It strongly implies that the activity will resume.
• 停止 (tíngzhǐ) - To stop, to cease. A more general term for stopping that can be final or permanent.
• 打扰 (dǎrǎo) - To disturb, to bother. Used politely when you need to get someone's attention or apologize for interrupting their peace.
• 断绝 (duànjué) - To sever, to cut off completely. Much stronger and more permanent than 中断, used almost exclusively for relationships and ties (e.g., 断绝关系 - to sever a relationship).
• 放弃 (fàngqì) - To give up, to abandon. Refers to a personal choice to stop doing something, often due to difficulty or lack of will.
• 隔断 (géduàn) - To partition, to cut off physically. Often refers to a physical barrier, like a wall or screen that divides a space.