pòhuài: 破坏 - To Destroy, Damage, Break, Sabotage

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• Summary: Learn the powerful Chinese word 破坏 (pòhuài), which means to destroy, damage, or sabotage. This guide covers its meaning from physically breaking objects to ruining abstract concepts like plans, relationships, or a good mood. Understand its cultural weight, see practical examples, and learn how to use it correctly to avoid common mistakes for English-speaking learners.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): pò huài
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To destroy, break, damage, or undermine something, whether physical or abstract.
• In a Nutshell: 破坏 (pòhuài) is a strong, negative word. It's not about accidentally dropping a plate; it's about the act of causing significant damage that renders something broken, useless, or ruined. Think of it as actively taking something from a whole, functional state and reducing it to a broken one. This can apply to a building, a computer file, a friendship, or even public order. The core feeling is one of deliberate or severe destruction and loss.

• 破 (pò): This character means “to break,” “to split,” or “to damage.” It's composed of 石 (shí - stone) and 皮 (pí - skin/surface). You can picture using a stone to break or rupture a surface. It signifies a forceful breaking action.
• 坏 (huài): This character means “bad,” “spoiled,” or “to go bad.” It's made of 土 (tǔ - earth) and 不 (bù - not). A common interpretation is something that has “gone bad” and is no longer good, like food spoiling and returning to the earth in a “bad” state. It implies a state of ruin or being spoiled.

When combined, 破坏 (pòhuài) literally means “to break [until it is] bad/ruined.” This fusion creates a powerful meaning: not just to break something, but to damage it to the point of complete ruin and dysfunction.

In Chinese culture, which often prioritizes harmony, stability, and collective well-being, the concept of 破坏 (pòhuài) carries significant negative weight. It's not just a physical act but a social and moral one. A key cultural application is in the social sphere. Phrases like 破坏关系 (pòhuài guānxì), “to destroy a relationship,” or 破坏气氛 (pòhuài qìfēn), “to ruin the atmosphere,” are serious statements. While in English one might “sour the mood,” the Chinese phrase implies a more active, deliberate, and damaging act—akin to taking a sledgehammer to the good vibes. It's a direct assault on social harmony. Similarly, 破坏公共财产 (pòhuài gōnggòng cáichǎn), “destroying public property,” is a severe offense. In a collectivist-leaning culture, what belongs to the public is seen as belonging to everyone, so damaging it is an act against the entire community, not just an impersonal object. The term is therefore frequently used in legal and official warnings, carrying a tone of severe disapproval.

破坏 (pòhuài) is a versatile word used in many modern contexts.

• Physical Destruction: This is the most literal usage. It's used for acts of vandalism, demolition, or any action that causes severe physical damage.
  • “Don't destroy the flowers and trees in the park.” (不要破坏公园里的花草树木。)
• Abstract Sabotage: This is extremely common. It refers to ruining non-physical things.
  • Plans & Projects: `破坏计划 (pòhuài jìhuà)` - to sabotage a plan.
  • Relationships & Feelings: `破坏别人的家庭 (pòhuài biérén de jiātíng)` - to destroy someone else's family.
  • Reputation: `破坏名声 (pòhuài míngshēng)` - to damage a reputation.
• Technology & Data: In the digital age, it's used for data corruption or cyber-attacks.
  • “The virus damaged many files on my computer.” (病毒破坏了我电脑里的很多文件。)
• As a Noun: It can also mean “destruction” or “damage.”
  • “The typhoon caused great destruction.” (台风造成了巨大的破坏。)

The connotation is almost always negative and implies a serious, often intentional, act. It is more formal than casually saying you “broke” something.

• Example 1:
  • 那个淘气的男孩破坏了我的玩具城堡。
  • Pinyin: Nàge táoqì de nánhái pòhuài le wǒ de wánjù chéngbǎo.
  • English: That naughty boy destroyed my toy castle.
  • Analysis: A straightforward example of physical destruction. The use of 破坏 implies the castle wasn't just knocked over, but truly broken and ruined.
• Example 2:
  • 你不该说那样的话，那会破坏我们的友谊。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bù gāi shuō nàyàng de huà, nà huì pòhuài wǒmen de yǒuyì.
  • English: You shouldn't have said that, it could damage our friendship.
  • Analysis: Here, 破坏 is used for an abstract concept (friendship). It highlights the severe negative impact of words on a relationship.
• Example 3:
  • 他们的目的是破坏和平谈判。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de mùdì shì pòhuài hépíng tánpàn.
  • English: Their goal is to sabotage the peace talks.
  • Analysis: This shows 破坏 used in a political or strategic context, synonymous with “sabotage” or “undermine.”
• Example 4:
  • 工业污染破坏了当地的生态环境。
  • Pinyin: Gōngyè wūrǎn pòhuài le dāngdì de shēngtài huánjìng.
  • English: Industrial pollution has damaged the local ecological environment.
  • Analysis: Used on a large scale to describe environmental destruction.
• Example 5:
  • 他迟到了一个小时，彻底破坏了晚会的气氛。
  • Pinyin: Tā chídào le yī ge xiǎoshí, chèdǐ pòhuài le wǎnhuì de qìfēn.
  • English: He was an hour late, completely ruining the party's atmosphere.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of social destruction. The adverb `彻底 (chèdǐ)` meaning “completely” often accompanies 破坏.
• Example 6:
  • 法律严禁任何人破坏文物。
  • Pinyin: Fǎlǜ yánjìn rènhé rén pòhuài wénwù.
  • English: The law strictly forbids anyone from damaging cultural relics.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the formal, legal usage of the term.
• Example 7:
  • 长期熬夜会破坏你的身体健康。
  • Pinyin: Chángqī áoyè huì pòhuài nǐ de shēntǐ jiànkāng.
  • English: Staying up late for a long time will destroy your health.
  • Analysis: Shows that you can use 破坏 for abstract concepts like “health,” implying a slow but severe degradation.
• Example 8:
  • 很抱歉，这个文件好像被破坏了，打不开。
  • Pinyin: Hěn bàoqiàn, zhège wénjiàn hǎoxiàng bèi pòhuài le, dǎbukāi.
  • English: I'm sorry, this file seems to have been corrupted; it won't open.
  • Analysis: This uses the passive voice (`被 bèi`) and is a very common phrase in a tech context, equivalent to a file being “corrupted” or “damaged.”
• Example 9:
  • 谣言的传播对他的名声造成了极大的破坏。
  • Pinyin: Yáoyán de chuánbō duì tā de míngshēng zàochéng le jídà de pòhuài.
  • English: The spread of rumors caused great damage to his reputation.
  • Analysis: Here, 破坏 is used as a noun, meaning “damage” or “destruction.”
• Example 10:
  • 有人在故意搞破坏，我们必须查清楚。
  • Pinyin: Yǒu rén zài gùyì gǎo pòhuài, wǒmen bìxū chá qīngchu.
  • English: Someone is deliberately committing sabotage, we have to investigate.
  • Analysis: Introduces the common colloquial phrase `搞破坏 (gǎo pòhuài)`, which means “to engage in sabotage” or “to make trouble.”

A common pitfall for learners is confusing 破坏 (pòhuài) with other words for “break.”

• 破坏 (pòhuài) vs. 弄坏 (nòng huài) vs. 打破 (dǎpò)
  • 破坏 (pòhuài): Strongest and most severe. Implies serious, often deliberate, damage and ruin. Use for vandalism, sabotaging plans, destroying relationships.
    • Correct: 他破坏了整个系统。 (Tā pòhuài le zhěnggè xìtǒng.) - He sabotaged the whole system.
  • 弄坏 (nòng huài): More casual, often accidental. Means “to break something through mishandling.” Use for everyday objects.
    • Correct: 我不小心把你的手机弄坏了。(Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ nǐ de shǒujī nòng huài le.) - I accidentally broke your phone.
  • 打破 (dǎpò): To break something fragile (like glass, a record, a promise) with a sharp action.
    • Correct: 小心，别打破那个杯子。(Xiǎoxīn, bié dǎpò nàge bēizi.) - Be careful, don't break that cup.
• False Friend: “Break”

The English word “break” can be neutral or even positive (e.g., “take a break,” “break a world record”). 破坏 (pòhuài) is never positive. It always means negative destruction.

• Incorrect: ~~我想破坏一下。~~ (Wǒ xiǎng pòhuài yīxià.)
• Why it's wrong: This sounds like “I want to go destroy something for a bit.”
• Correct: 我想休息一下。(Wǒ xiǎng xiūxi yīxià.) - I want to take a break.

• 损坏 (sǔnhuài) - To damage. More formal and technical than 破坏, often used for equipment, goods, or parts that are now faulty.
• 摧毁 (cuīhuǐ) - To destroy, to smash. Even stronger than 破坏, implying complete obliteration, often by a powerful force (e.g., an army, an earthquake).
• 搞破坏 (gǎo pòhuài) - To engage in sabotage. A common colloquial phrase that emphasizes the act of deliberately causing trouble or damage.
• 毁坏 (huǐhuài) - To ruin, to destroy. A very close synonym to 破坏, perhaps slightly more literary or formal.
• 颠覆 (diānfù) - To subvert, to overthrow. Used for intangible, large-scale systems like governments, authority, or traditional concepts.
• 糟蹋 (zāotà) - To ruin, waste, or spoil. Often used for squandering resources, food, or opportunities, and can also mean to defile or insult.
• 建设 (jiànshè) - Antonym: to build, to construct. The positive counterpart to 破坏.
• 修复 (xiūfù) - Antonym: to repair, to restore. The action one takes after something has been 破坏.