(cuī huǐ) - to destroy, to demolish, to wreck in Mandarin
cuīhuǐTraditional: 摧毀
Translation
to destroy, to demolish, to wreck
Word origin
A synonym compound of 摧 (cuī, to break, to snap) and 毁 (huǐ, to ruin, to destroy), two near-identical verbs stacked for weight.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 摧 (cuī, to break) + 毁 (huǐ, to ruin)
Stroke order
摧
毁
Examples
震村。
The earthquake destroyed the whole village.
。
The war destroyed this city.
。
That business destroyed his confidence.
。
Their home was destroyed by the fire.
。
Nothing can destroy our hope.
摧毁 is destruction on a large scale and with force behind it: earthquakes, wars, bombs, fires. It carries a formality and a violence that the everyday 破坏 does not, so it belongs in news reports and serious writing rather than in a complaint about a broken chair.
It works figuratively on things that can be shattered rather than broken: 信心 (confidence), 希望 (hope), 意志 (will), 一个人的生活 (someone's life). That metaphorical use is very common and is worth learning alongside the literal one.
For an English speaker the trap is reaching for 摧毁 whenever you would say "destroy". If a child destroys a toy, that is 弄坏; if rain ruins your plans, that is 破坏 or simply 打乱. Save 摧毁 for when something is genuinely levelled.
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摧毁: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "摧毁" (to destroy, to demolish, to wreck): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 43.