碎

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suì: 碎 - Broken, Shattered, Fragmented

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: sui, suì, 碎, what does sui mean in Chinese, broken in Chinese, shattered in Chinese, Chinese word for fragmented, 碎了, 破碎, 心碎, 零碎, break into pieces
  • Summary: Discover the meaning of 碎 (suì), the essential Chinese word for “broken,” “shattered,” or “fragmented.” This guide explores how 碎 (suì) is used to describe everything from a shattered phone screen to a broken heart (心碎), offering deep cultural insights and practical examples for beginner to intermediate learners. Learn the key difference between 碎 (suì) and other Chinese words for “broken” to use it like a native speaker.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): suì
  • Part of Speech: Verb, Adjective
  • HSK Level: HSK 4
  • Concise Definition: To break into small pieces; to be shattered, fragmented, or incomplete.
  • In a Nutshell: 碎 (suì) is the word you use when something breaks into many little pieces. Imagine dropping a glass plate—it doesn't just break, it shatters. That's 碎. This concept applies not only to physical objects like glass or phone screens but also metaphorically to abstract things like hearts, dreams, and even time, describing a state of being scattered and in pieces.

Character Breakdown

  • 碎 is a phono-semantic compound character, meaning one part gives the meaning and the other gives the sound.
  • 石 (shí): The radical on the left means “stone” or “rock.” This is the semantic (meaning) component, telling us the character is related to a hard object that can be broken.
  • 卒 (zú): The component on the right originally meant “soldier” or “to finish.” Here, it primarily serves as the phonetic (sound) component, giving the character its `suì` pronunciation.
  • Mnemonic: You can think of a soldier (卒) striking a rock (石) until it shatters into pieces. The combination of “stone” and the `zú` sound creates the vivid image of something hard being broken into fragments.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • Physical vs. Emotional Shattering: While English has the term “heartbroken,” the Chinese equivalent 心碎 (xīnsuì) is far more literal and visceral—it means “heart-shattered.” The Chinese language directly applies the physical image of a shattered object to the intense emotional pain of heartbreak or despair. This reflects a tendency to use concrete, physical metaphors to describe powerful emotional states.
  • Comparison to “Broken”: In English, the word “broken” is a broad catch-all. A broken toy, a broken promise, and a broken computer are all “broken.” Chinese is more precise. 碎 (suì) is for shattering.
    • A malfunctioning car is 坏了 (huàile) - “broken/spoiled.”
    • A snapped rope is 断了 (duànle) - “snapped/severed.”
    • A glass that fell and shattered is 碎了 (suìle).
    • Understanding this distinction is a major step toward sounding more natural in Chinese. 碎 implies a specific kind of destruction: into many small pieces.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • Literal Breakage: This is the most common use. You'll hear it constantly in daily life when things fall and break.
    • “My phone screen is shattered!” - 我的手机屏幕碎了！(Wǒ de shǒujī píngmù suìle!)
  • Figurative Fragmentation: 碎 is used to describe things that are piecemeal, detailed, or incoherent.
    • 零碎 (língsuì): This common compound means “fragmented” or “odds and ends.” You can have `零碎的时间` (fragmented bits of time) or `零碎的钱` (loose change).
    • 嘴碎 (zuǐsuì): A colloquial term describing someone who is a chatterbox, gossipy, or nagging. Their words are like little, annoying fragments.
  • Social Media: It's common and often humorous for people to post a picture of their cracked phone screen with the caption 心碎了 (xīnsuìle), playfully equating the material loss with a broken heart.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 杯子掉在地上，碎了。
    • Pinyin: Bēizi diào zài dìshang, suìle.
    • English: The cup fell on the floor and shattered.
    • Analysis: This is the most classic and literal use of 碎. The particle `了 (le)` indicates the action is complete.
  • Example 2:
    • 听到这个坏消息，她的心都碎了。
    • Pinyin: Tīngdào zhège huài xiāoxi, tā de xīn dōu suìle.
    • English: Upon hearing the bad news, her heart completely broke.
    • Analysis: A standard example of the figurative use in the compound `心碎 (xīnsuì)`. The word `都 (dōu)` adds emphasis, meaning “completely” or “entirely.”
  • Example 3:
    • 我的手机屏幕碎了，什么都看不清了。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī píngmù suìle, shénme dōu kànbuqīng le.
    • English: My phone screen is shattered, I can't see anything clearly.
    • Analysis: A highly practical sentence in the modern world. `屏幕 (píngmù)` means “screen.”
  • Example 4:
    • 请帮我把这些蒜瓣捣碎。
    • Pinyin: Qǐng bāng wǒ bǎ zhèxiē suànbàn dǎosuì.
    • English: Please help me mash/crush these garlic cloves.
    • Analysis: Here, 碎 is part of the verb `捣碎 (dǎosuì)`, which means “to pound until shattered.” The `把 (bǎ)` structure is used to show disposal of the object (`这些蒜瓣`).
  • Example 5:
    • 我只有一些关于童年零碎的记忆。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐyǒu yīxiē guānyú tóngnián língsuì de jìyì.
    • English: I only have some fragmented memories of my childhood.
    • Analysis: Uses the adjective `零碎 (língsuì)` to describe memories that are not whole or continuous, but rather exist in “bits and pieces.”
  • Example 6:
    • 他的梦想被残酷的现实击碎了。
    • Pinyin: Tā de mèngxiǎng bèi cánkù de xiànshí jīsuìle.
    • English: His dreams were shattered by cruel reality.
    • Analysis: `击碎 (jīsuì)` means “to strike and shatter.” It's a powerful, literary verb often used for abstract concepts like dreams, hopes, or confidence. The `被 (bèi)` indicates the passive voice.
  • Example 7:
    • 你能不能别这么嘴碎？让我安静一会儿。
    • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bu néng bié zhème zuǐsuì? Ràng wǒ ānjìng yīhuǐr.
    • English: Can you stop being so chatty/naggy? Let me have some peace and quiet.
    • Analysis: This showcases the colloquial term `嘴碎 (zuǐsuì)`, which has a negative connotation of someone who talks too much about trivial or annoying things.
  • Example 8:
    • 他把事情的经过说得很碎，连最小的细节都包括了。
    • Pinyin: Tā bǎ shìqing de jīngguò shuō de hěn suì, lián zuìxiǎo de xìjié dōu bāokuò le.
    • English: He explained what happened in great detail (very finely), including even the smallest details.
    • Analysis: This is a nuanced use. `说得很碎` means to break down the narrative into its smallest components. Here, it's neutral or even positive, implying thoroughness rather than incoherence.
  • Example 9:
    • 地震后，整个城市变成了一片破碎的瓦砾。
    • Pinyin: Dìzhèn hòu, zhěnggè chéngshì biànchéngle yīpiàn pòsuì de wǎlì.
    • English: After the earthquake, the entire city became a stretch of shattered rubble.
    • Analysis: `破碎 (pòsuì)` is a more formal and slightly more intense synonym for `碎`. It's often used in written language or to describe large-scale destruction.
  • Example 10:
    • 我把口袋里所有的零碎钱都用来买咖啡了。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ kǒudài lǐ suǒyǒu de língsuì qián dōu yònglái mǎi kāfēi le.
    • English: I used all the loose change in my pocket to buy coffee.
    • Analysis: `零碎钱 (língsuì qián)` is a fixed phrase for “loose change” or “small bills and coins”—money that is fragmented and not in large denominations.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • The most common mistake for English speakers is using 碎 (suì) for any type of “broken.” Remember the distinction:
    • 碎 (suì): Shattered into many pieces (glass, mirror, plate, screen, heart, dream).
    • 断 (duàn): Snapped in two or a few pieces (rope, stick, pencil, bone).
    • 坏 (huài): Malfunctioning, spoiled (computer, watch, car, food).
  • Incorrect Usage: 我的手表碎了。 (Wǒ de shǒubiǎo suìle.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sentence means “My watch shattered into pieces,” which is possible, but highly unlikely. If the watch simply stopped working, the correct sentence is:
  • Correct Usage: 我的手表坏了。 (Wǒ de shǒubiǎo huàile.)
  • Incorrect Usage: 筷子碎了。 (Kuàizi suìle.)
  • Why it's wrong: A chopstick would snap in half, not shatter.
  • Correct Usage: 筷子断了。 (Kuàizi duànle.)

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 破碎 (pòsuì) - A more formal or literary synonym for “shattered.”
  • 零碎 (língsuì) - An adjective or noun meaning “fragmented,” “in bits and pieces,” or “odds and ends.”
  • 心碎 (xīnsuì) - The direct word for “heartbroken,” literally “heart-shattered.”
  • 粉碎 (fěnsuì) - To pulverize or smash into powder. This is an even more extreme form of destruction than `碎`.
  • 击碎 (jīsuì) - To smash or shatter with a blow, used for both physical objects and abstract concepts like hopes.
  • 嘴碎 (zuǐsuì) - A colloquial adjective for someone who is overly chatty, gossipy, or nagging.
  • 断 (duàn) - (Contrast) To snap or break into two or more large pieces. The opposite of a unified whole, but different from shattering.
  • 坏 (huài) - (Contrast) To be broken in the sense of malfunctioning or being spoiled.
  • 完整 (wánzhěng) - (Antonym) Complete, whole, intact.